Shattered Dreams
by nefretiri
Summary: COMPLETED! A Yuuhi-centric fic continuing the series plot. A new enemy has emerged for Ceres, bearing a 5000 year long grudge. Yuuhi gets a new love interest BUT who is she really? And how will their love story end?
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer:

Ayashi no Ceres the title, anime, and all characters portrayed in it are created by Watase Yuu. Characters portrayed in this fanfiction from Ayashi no Ceres are merely borrowed for fan purposes only and are not in anyway directed towards any copyright infringement acts.

Notes:

Still working on the last two chapters of this fic… total of 8 chapters… (I think—teehee…) This has also subconsciously developed into a Yuuhi fic! Har har har… but I love Yuuhi anyways… so there! *laughs* My goal is to finish writing it all by December 15. *grins* Still don't have a title for this either… any suggestions? Ok… please read & review… hope you enjoy it!

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_Five thousand years ago, my heart was broken._

_Until this very day, it still bled for the man I love._

_Five thousand years long…_

_Ceres… You took everything away from me…_

_You shall taste the wrath of my sorrow._

_One day…_

"Yuuhi! Kochi kochi!" Aya yelled across the train station platform, waving across the crowd. She and Tooya had just descended from the train that had took them from Kanagawa to Tokyo. Aki, their six-month-old baby, was miraculously sound asleep amidst the loud crowd, rocked in her father's sturdy, protective arms. Aya had wanted to name her baby after Aki, in  memory of her twin brother.

Yuuhi waved back and ran towards his two best friends with Kyuu-chan. He was glad that they were safe and well. "Okaeri, Aya!" Yuuhi said as he gave the girl he had loved for so long a warm embrace. "Ooo! Is Aki asleep? Kawaii na…" he said as he looked at the sleeping baby in Tooya's arms and his fingers stroke on a strand of her soft hair gently. 

Tooya smiled a soft smile. "Genki desuka, Aogiri?" he asked his good friend.

Yuuhi slapped Tooya's shoulder lightly. "Genki!" he exclaimed. "Let's go!" he said as he took the big bag that Aya was carrying and slung it over his shoulders and led Aya and Tooya to the front entrance.

As Tooya and Yuuhi walked in front of Aya, suddenly her sight was distracted by something that looked too familiar. She stopped her steps to look at what she thought she saw behind the rushing crowd. And as the crowd parted, in a split second suddenly it felt as if time slowed down almost to a stop when she saw the figure of her late twin brother, Mikage Aki.

_Aki…_

Tooya and Yuuhi's conversing voices suddenly seemed so far away. The world suddenly disappeared into darkness. All that remains was Aki's figure, so real, in front of her eyes. Without thinking further, Aya dropped her bag and started her steps to run to where she had seen Aki.

"Oi! Aya!?" Yuuhi exclaimed as he suddenly saw her run off at the corner of his eye.

"AYA!!!" Tooya yelled after her. "Kyuu-chan… onegai…" he said in his usual calm tone as he handed his child carefully into Kyuu-chan's arms, then proceeded to run after Yuuhi, who had already started after Aya.

Aya felt her eyes getting hot and her tears started running across her face. Please god… don't take him away from me again… please… The figure she saw became closer and closer with each step she took, until she was finally in front of him.

Aya was now standing right in front… Aki. Aki stared right at Aya with a shocked look on his face. He froze.

"Aki…" Aya's voice trembled as she looked into his face. "It's you… it's really… really… you…!" her voice broke into sobs and she leaped to hug her brother.

"Aogiri…" Tooya stopped his steps short as he saw who Aya had leaped to hug. "Aitsu wa…"

"It can't be…" Yuuhi muttered in disbelief. 

"Oi oi… ojoo-chan… I think you've mistaken me for someone else…" the young man who looked exactly like Aki suddenly said, as he untangled Aya's arms from his broad shoulders and pulled her off his torso.

Aya stopped her sobs and looked at his face in disbelief. "No…" she muttered softly. "No…! Aki! No more tricks please! Oniichan!"

"Aki…? Oniichan?" he asked, still grasping on Aya's wrists to keep her away from him. "I don't know who that is. I'm certainly not him, and certainly not your brother." He said as he released Aya's wrists.

"Oniichan? Daijobu?" called a voice from behind Yuuhi, and a girl with long, flowing raven hair approached the young man. For a second Yuuhi felt his heart stop when he laid eyes on her beauty. He hadn't felt this feeling in a long time. Not since he met Aya that even until now, still has his heart.

"Aaa… daijobu, Sayaka-chan." He answered, taking the girl's hand and pulled her to him, almost as if using her to protect himself from Aya. The pretty girl looked at Aya in confusion.

"What's going on?" the girl whom was called 'Sayaka-chan' asked the boy.

"SUMIMASEEEEEEN!" Yuuhi decided to jump in suddenly and pulled Aya to him. "Gomen ne… my friend has some visual problems…" he said as he made a twirling motion with his fingers across his eyes. "She seems to have mistaken a lot of people this week. Gomen nasai! Ha… ha…!" Yuuhi chuckled sheepishly as he cupped on Aya's mouth and pulled her away from the two youngsters who were staring dumbfounded.

Tooya pulled the struggling Aya into his embrace immediately. "Aki…!" Aya kept calling. Tooya took one last look at the boy, then calmly turned away and started walking off with Aya in his arms.

"Let's go…" the boy said to his sister, and pulled her arm to walk away. Yuuhi was still standing at where he was. And as the two siblings walked away, the girl turned her head back and looked at him, as if stealing another look one last time, and they locked gaze, until she disappeared amongst the crowd and Yuuhi found himself standing alone amidst the crowd.

"Eee! Chotto matte!!!" Yuuhi yelled at Tooya and Aya.

* * *

Tooya was walking along the corridor of the Aogiri house when a paralyzing sense of fatigue suddenly stabbed into his body, and a stabbing pain wrenched his heart. He fell on one knee, panting to catch his breath. _This pain… it's getting more frequent…_He clenched his fist, trying to fight away the pain._ Is my time running out already…? So soon…? Aya…!_

Miraculously, the wrenching pain suddenly faded away. Gathering his strength back, Tooya got up on his feet, still feeling dizzy. He finally exhaled in relief. The recurring pain started three months ago, but lately it's recurring more and more frequent. Tooya had been able to hide his condition from everyone, especially Aya. Neither does she know the truth that he is dying. He had only trusted this information to Yuuhi.

He resumed his steps, but then a strange breeze swept the hallway, and he stopped his steps. _The air had a different feel… _Tooya thought, looking out towards the sky. _Something is wrong…_

Tooya opened the door into the room and saw Aya sitting by the window silently, staring into the Aogiri household's garden with a blank stare in her eyes. "Aya…" he called softly as he approached her.

Aya looked up as Tooya knelt down beside her. Her eyes suddenly welled up with tears and she broke into sobs. "Gomen ne, Tooya… But please let me cry…" Aya sobbed softly as Tooya took her into his arms. "I know I promised that I wouldn't cry anymore… I know I said that I'll be all right… but Aki… Aki was right there… in front of my eyes… and I realized how much I miss my brother…"

He ran his fingers in her soft hair gently. "Daijobu, Aya." He murmured softly. "Cry all you want… I'm right here…" he said again. As he held Aya, his eyes reflected sadness. _I'm right here… _His own words repeated in his mind. _But for how long…? When I die… Aya… _His eyes watered at the realization that he doesn't have much time left. Aside the recurring pain, he can also feel his life force growing weaker and weaker. He blinked away his tears. _I have to be strong for Aya._

The door opened and Yuuhi walked in, carrying Aki in his arms. He stopped as he saw Tooya hugging Aya, and his face turned red in embarrassment. "Aaa gomen!" Yuuhi panicked upon walking into an uncomfortable situation. "I just came to bring Aki! Gomen gomen gomen!!!"

Aya looked up and wiped her tears. A smile broke into her saddened face and she started giggling at Yuuhi's behavior. It wasn't long before Aya started laughing full-heartedly with an embarrassed Yuuhi. Yuuhi brought the baby over and Aya took Aki in her arms. She looked happy once again, and Tooya was glad.

_That's right… she will always have Yuuhi… and Aki…_

* * *

Miyashita Sayaka sat in the classroom quietly. Her eyes were wandering out the window to the open court below where the boys were running around tossing the basketball around. She yawned, feeling bored with what she's seeing. But suddenly, her eyes caught a glimpse of someone familiar. Not just that… but… also attractive to her eyes.

_That's him… The guy at the station yesterday…_ She thought to herself, getting up from her seat and leaning over the window to get a closer look. As she leaned out of the windowsill, she felt the cool breeze of autumn tousle her hair, cooling her face. She smiled to herself dreamily as she looked at Yuuhi.

Yuuhi squinted at the bright light of the sun shining right at his face. It was a hot day, even though the breeze was cool. Especially he's been running around the basketball court all day. He walked over to the side slowly, and pulled out a water bottle and gulped on it thirstily. He wiped the beads of sweat off his forehead.

"Aogiri! Hayaku!" exclaimed one of his teammates from the court.

"Matte!!!" Yuuhi grumbled as he tossed the water bottle back to his bag. He tugged on the shirt that he's wearing, now soaked in sweat, and pulled it off his head and tossed it into the bag as well. As he was running back to the court, suddenly his eyes caught a glimpse of a figure not too far up, leaning over the window, watching him. He stopped his steps and looked up at her, shielding his eyes from the sunlight with the back of his palm.

Surprised, Sayaka backed away from the window when Yuuhi suddenly looked up at her.

_That was the girl yesterday…_Yuuhi thought.

"Oooo!!! Looks like Aogiri has caught the princess' attention!!!" exclaimed one of the boys as he walks over at slaps Yuuhi on his back.

Yuuhi cringed at the hard slap that landed on his bare back. "Princess?" Yuuhi then asked, turning to his friend.

"Miyashita Sayaka." The boy said her name out loud. "The new girl who just transferred into our school. No one really knows anything about her or her background. It almost seems like she popped out of thin air. But words have it that her family is extremely wealthy. Very beautiful, as you have seen. She's a quiet girl, never conversing with anyone. Especially boys." He said, chuckling. "You are probably the first person she's ever shown interest on."

"Miyashita… Sayaka…" Yuuhi repeated her name. He felt that it sounded almost like music to his ears. He looked up again, but she was gone.

"Beware of the tall boy who seems to be extremely protective of her. He would show up in school just to see her. Words say that he's her brother… but they seem a little bit too fishy to be siblings to me." He said again.

_Brother… _Yuuhi was suddenly reminded by the boy whom she had called 'oniichan', who looked strangely alike to Aki. As he caught the ball that was tossed over to him, suddenly he dropped it and ran off to the side of the court.

"Hey, Aogiri!!!" one of the guys yelled out. "What are you doing?!"

Yuuhi grabbed his shirt and his bag and ran off into the building as he put on the shirt onto his torso. "Gomen, Kenji! Count me out!" he yelled as he ran. _Miyashita Sayaka… _Her name kept ringing in his mind as he raced up the stairs. 

Suddenly as he approached the corner of the stairs he crashed into someone and they toppled over on the floor, with Yuuhi on top. When Yuuhi opened his eyes, he saw Sayaka's face wincing in pain only inches away from his. His body started to register the feel of her soft physique pressed underneath his weight.

"Aah! Gomen!!!" Yuuhi exclaimed as he threw himself backwards away from her.

Sayaka opened her eyes and was surprised to see him. "You…" she murmured softly as she inched away and tried to get up. But she felt a stabbing pain on her right leg and she slumped back down on the floor.

* * *

Yuuhi sat back on the chair in the medical center as he watched the nurse put her last touches on the bandage that is now on Sayaka's leg.

"Arigato, Aogiri-san…" Sayaka said softly as the nurse exited the room.

"Eh? For what?" Yuuhi asked, confused. He was partly surprised too that she knew his name.

"For bringing me here…"

"I should be apologizing… I caused all this mess… Miyashita-san." Yuuhi paused before he finally said her name. 

She smiled again, and for a moment Yuuhi was mesmerized by her soft smile. He shook his thoughts and focused on what he had came to talk to her about. "About yesterday…" he started to speak. "I need to ask… was that your brother?"

"Yesterday?" she asked. "It was strange, wasn't it?" she said again, then paused for a second. "Hai. That was my brother, Akira. Doushite, Aogiri-san?"

"Akira…" Yuuhi repeated the name, stunned. _This is too strange to be coincidental… the face… the name…_

"Aogiri-san?"

Yuuhi reached into his wallet, took out a picture, and handed it to Sayaka. Sayaka's eyes widened as she looked into the picture of Aya and Aki. "Kore wa… dare…?" she asked softly, her eyes still on the photograph.

"His name is Aki... Mikage Aki." 

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to be continued...


	2. Chapter Two

Sayaka closed the door behind her hurriedly. She had spent the rest of the day avoiding Yuuhi's offer to take her home. She knows how Akira would react violently to any young men who ever got close to her. "Onii-chan!" Sayaka called out as she entered their big house's main hallway. She and her brother are mostly alone as their parents live in Europe for business. Sayaka and Akira had voted to stay in Japan for their studies, and their business-oriented parents had ignorantly agreed to leave their two children without care in Japan.

She saw the framed photograph of her and Akira on the table. She passed that same picture everyday but somehow she felt the urge to pick it up today. She smiled as she looked at the picture. She touched Akira's picture and took a deep breath. _Onii-chan… are we commiting the greatest sin of mankind by loving each other so much…?_

She was caught up in her thoughts for a moment, trying to recall when their illicit love had first blossomed. Being the ignored and unloved children that they are, they had found care and love in each other, but with no guidance, their love blossomed into something beyond sibling love.

_How strange… it's so quiet today… _She thought to herself suddenly. 

She walked into the main hall. The windows are all open and a cool breeze swept the room. The bright sunrays fell upon her face from the glass windows. The transparent drapes were waving, tousled by the wind. "Onii-chan!" she called out again.

Again, there was silence. _Aogiri Yuuhi… _She thought to herself. Then she gasped in surprise at her own thought. She has never bothered to think about anyone before but her brother, let alone remember them all of a sudden. Disturbed, she shook the thought and the image of Yuuhi's smile off her mind. But she could felt a feeling of fondness creeping up in her heart for Yuuhi.

Ascending up to the second floor, Sayaka opened a door that led her into a big, spacious and bright library. She saw a figure sitting on a large leather chair in front of the open window. The drapes were also tousled by the same autumn breeze that was sweeping through the house. She walked towards the window and saw her brother, Akira, asleep peacefully caressed by the breeze. She looked at him for a moment silently, her lips slowly curving into a smile. She leaned down closer and touched his hair gently as to not wake him up. She toyed with a strand of his hair that fell across his eyelids and swept it away with her fingers, then lowered her face closer and kissed his lips gently.

Akira stirred awake, opening his eyes. "Sayaka…" he said softly, looking at her with sleepy eyes as she pulled away. Sayaka smiled, and Akira coiled his palms behind her neck and pulled her closer to him. Cradling her little body on his lap, the two siblings were now liplocked in a kiss.

"Sayaka… I love you…"

But suddenly Akira stopped, and his eyes widened in horror. Then he fell back on his chair.

"Onii-chan?" Sayaka looked at him, touching his face. "What's wrong?"

Akira grabbed on his head, and he stood up, howling, throwing Sayaka off onto the floor. "Onii-chan!" Sayaka screamed, afraid of her brother's sudden enraged condition. He was screaming and howling, curled up on the floor. And suddenly blood started to sprout out in the air, and his body looked like it was being slashed by an invisible force. But after a short moment, it all stopped. And there was silence.

Akira was on the floor, his hands holding up the weight of his body, panting hard. He was kneeling on a pool of his own blood that was still dripping from his open wounds.

Sayaka got up on her feet and ran towards her brother. She touched her brother's shoulder with trembling hands. "Onii-chan…?" she called out, worried. "Please… talk to me…" she said softly as her fingers touch his hair gently.

In a split second, suddenly Akira grabbed her wrist. He looked up and stared right at Sayaka. Blood dripping across his face. Sayaka froze in shock as she saw the change in his eyes' gleam.

Akira smiled, but it was a mischievous smile. Almost devilish. He wiped the blood off his nose with his hand, while his other hand still grasping tight on Sayaka's wrist.

"You're… you're not my brother…! You're not Akira!" she exclaimed as she tried to break herself free from her grip. "Hanashite yo!!!" she screamed.

Akira yanked her roughly towards him and flipped her over, pinning her down spread eagled on the floor under him. He flashed another smile and lowered himself down on her. "Sayaka…" he hissed by her ear. "What's wrong? It's me… Akira…"

Sayaka clenched her fists and closed her eyes. _No… you're not Akira… _Suddenly, the gleam of her jet black hair faded into a shade of violet blue, and as she opened her eyes, her pupils gleamed in the sparkling hue of gold. A surge of electricity ran across her body, and the force threw Akira's body away from her and knocked him right onto a wall.

Akira stood up, seemingly unharmed even from that powerful blow that just knocked him a couple of feet away at full blast. He started laughing as he looked at Sayaka's transformed self. "Tennyo…" he chuckled devilishly. "Who would've thought… I picked the body of a tennyo's brother!"

"What have you done with my brother?" Sayaka exclaimed angrily. "Bring me back my brother!" she said as she held out her palm, ready to blast him away again.

"I'd be careful if I were you… after all… this **is** Akira's body…" he smiled calmly.

Sayaka froze for a moment, realizing what he said was true. She pulled her hand back, her eyes welling up in tears. "Who are you…?" she asked finally. "And what do you want from us?"

* * *

_Aya…_

Aya opened her eyes and found herself surrounded by darkness. She looked around. It was empty.

_Aya… _The voice called out again. It was a familiar voice.

"Ce… Ceres…?" Aya answered, unsure that it was Ceres for there was no form nor sign of her around. "Is that you, Ceres…?" Aya exclaimed again. _Am I… dreaming? _She thought.

Then from the darkness, Ceres' perfect tennyo figure emerged into visibility. She was as beautiful as Aya remembered her to be, but then Aya noticed that she was injured. She was cradling her mana in her arms.

"CERES!" Aya yelled as Ceres suddenly collapsed slowly onto the bottomless pit. Aya leaped into the black vacuum to grab her. "Ceres! What's going on?"

As their hands touch, suddenly a surge of electricity flowed into both their bodies, and Ceres surged inside Aya's body, merging in. The bottomless pit was suddenly filled with bright blinding light…

"Aya…" Tooya's voice was heard, and Aya could feel his hands shaking her gently.

Aya opened her eyes and found herself in his arms, wrapped under a warm blanket. It was dark, as it was late at night. Aya looked up into Tooya's eyes.

"Aya… daijobu?" Tooya swept a strand of her hair gently away from her eyes. "You had a bad dream…?"

Aya suddenly registered the feel of her heart beating like mad. Then she recalled the dream she just had. _But it felt so real… _She thought. Ceres… what does it all mean? "Tooya!" she exclaimed suddenly. "Ceres…"

"Ceres?"

"I saw Ceres…" Aya started speaking. "She was in her perfect tennyo form… but she was injured. She was holding her mana, but she was in pain. In her eyes… I saw that she was crying for help… she called onto me… and she fell into the darkness. I leaped and fell into the darkness as well after her… and when I reached her…" Aya paused for awhile, then finally continued, "Ceres… Ceres merged inside of me…"

Tooya looked puzzled. "A dream…" he muttered softly. _There must be something going on… something is wrong._

_Aya… it's not a dream… _Suddenly a voice echoed inside Aya's head. It was the voice of Ceres.  _I am inside of you now… once again we are one._

Aya's eyes widened in horror from the sound inside her head. But then she saw the look on Tooya's face and it seemed that he had heard Ceres' words as well.

_Tooya… _Ceres' voice echoed.

"Ceres!" Tooya answered, looking around the room searching for a form. "Please… show yourself to us…"

Suddenly Aya's body was lifted up into the air and the room was filled with electrifying tennyo chi. Her hair extended out longer and transformed into a magnificent hue of violet, waving in the cold night air, and her eyes of gold. And she was Ceres, once again. In shock, Tooya almost couldn't find the words for quite some moment. "Ceres… but, why?"

Footsteps were heard following the thunderous noises that had happened in the room, and the door into the room opened immediately. Yuuhi ran inside but stopped short when he saw Ceres floating in the air in front of a still stunned Tooya.

"Yuuhi…" Ceres smiled when she saw Yuuhi. The tennyo has always had a soft spot for him.

Yuuhi felt his knees getting weak. Glimpses of his memory over their previous nightmare associated with Ceres and Mikage started running back through his head. All the agony and death. Then he felt a hand touch his shoulder. It was Suzumi. She stepped into the room in front of Yuuhi.

"Ceres…" Suzumi smiled as she saw the tennyo that she hasn't seen for awhile. "Why have you returned? Is something wrong?"

**(Flashback to heaven)**

_"Mikage…?" Ceres brushed the tree branches away as she walked through them towards her husband that she had seen standing by a crystal clear riverside._

_Mikage turned around at the sound of her voice. Then Ceres saw that he was holding something in his hand. It was her mana. She was even more stunned when she saw the gleam in his eyes were all too familiar, the gleam of a possessed Mikage Shiso._

_"Anata, what are you doing with my mana…?" Ceres asked calmly. _

_"I'm going to kill you." He said simply._

_Ceres' eyes widened in horror as his words confirmed the gleam in his eyes. "Mikage…" Ceres muttered under her breath. "What's happening to you?"_

_Suddenly Ceres heard rustles behind her, she turned around only to find another figure of a tennyo standing there, looking at them. A Tennyo she hasn't seen in 5000 years._

_"Ceres." She hissed. "Do you remember me?"_

_Ceres took one step back. "Freya…" she muttered the name she knew all too well. "Do you have something to do with this?"_

_The tennyo named Freya stepped up towards Mikage, and to Ceres' horror, Mikage coiled his arms around her. "I'm going to take back what should've been mine… Ceres…" she said again. "Five thousand years long I waited for him since you took him away."_

_"This is madness!" Ceres exclaimed. "Mikage, this isn't you! Snap out of it!"_

_Mikage smiled devilishly, and he tossed the mana onto the ground. Then he laid the sole of his foot on top of it, slowly applying pressure little by little. Ceres felt a wrenching pain take over her limbs as she saw a little crack developing on the mana's shell._

_"Stop." Freya said, as she touched Mikage's arm. "We need her mana."_

_At the split second as Mikage removed his foot from her mana, Ceres took the risk of shooting a blast towards it, sending it plunging into the crystal water. Then she leaped into the water as well before the two could blink an eye._

_Freya held back Mikage as he was about to go after her. "Don't worry about her. We'll go after her friends on earth." She hissed with a glow in her eyes._

"Who is this tennyo?" Yuuhi exclaimed. "I don't understand what she wants from you…"

"Her name is Freya… and she descended to earth before me 5000 years ago. She was young and naïve then, and she fell in love with Mikage at first sight… but never had the courage to approach him. She watched him every day from afar… until Mikage found my mana." Ceres said grimly.

"Ceres… you said your mana was damaged…" Tooya said. "Are you…" But before he could finish his sentence, suddenly he collapsed onto the floor.

"TOOYA!" Yuuhi exclaimed and went to hold his friend up immediately. Cold sweat was running on Tooya's face, and his breathing was irregular. Yuuhi knew that one of his 'symptoms' are occuring again. He looked up to Ceres. "Tooya is dying…"

Ceres' face ashened. "I know…" she said, her eyes reflecting sadness.

"Dying?" Suzumi said as she knelt down beside Yuuhi, who is cradling Tooya's head on his lap. She looked at Ceres and Yuuhi alternately. 

"Tooya's life force is getting weaker and weaker as it had been empowered by my mana this whole time…" Ceres said. "His life force alone without my mana, was derived from those who came close to the mana underneath the ocean for 5000 years... although it's enough to create life in his body, but not enough to sustain it alone." Ceres said.

"Does Aya know this?" Suzumi asked.

"No." Yuuhi answered. "She must never know… until Tooya feels it's time to tell her."

Suddenly Tooya grabbed Yuuhi's palm. "Aogiri…" he muffled Yuuhi's name in between his breaths. "Daijobu… I can withstand this…"

"Hang on, Tooya." Yuuhi said, with a worried look on his face. "You'll be all right…"

Ceres was silent for awhile. Then she floated down towards Tooya. Ceres closed her eyes, and held out both her hands, as if she was holding a sphere, and slowly, a glow started to emerge atop her palms and it became bigger, and bigger…

"Ceres…!" Yuuhi exclaimed in disbelief. "Your mana…"

"You're not going to…" Suzumi started.

"Yes." Ceres opened her eyes. "My mana will keep him alive… and immortalize him once again…" she said, holding the magnificent mana in her palms. Although bearing a small crack, it's still glowing beautifully.

"But what about you…?" Yuuhi asked.

Ceres smiled at Yuuhi's concern. "I'll be fine…" She answered softly, and then she released her mana up in the air, and the crystal ball slowly descended down onto Tooya's chest, then faded into his body before glowing magnificently, filling the whole room with its violet glow.

A surge of electricity ran through Tooya's body. Yuuhi could feel it as he was holding Tooya. Then, Tooya slowly opened his eyes and sat up. There was an astonished look on his face, as he looked at his palms, feeling his every bit of strength flowing through to the end of his fingers, giving out a warm tingling feeling as immortality surged back into his body.

"Yokatta…" Ceres said softly, then she collapsed onto the floor and turned back into Aya.

* * *

Sayaka's hands were trembling as she stood there facing her possessed brother. Suddenly an invisible force swept through the room and all the doors and windows slammed shut. A soft violet glow emerged and it slowly formed a figure of a woman.

"Freya." Mikage, who is now in Akira's body, said with a smile. "What took you so long?"

The tennyo, Freya, smiled at Mikage and coiled her arms around his neck and kissed him. Then she suddenly turned and glared at Sayaka.

"Who are you… and what do you want from us?" Sayaka said, choking back her tears. She turned back into her original self. "Please… give me back my brother…"

Freya laughed a victorious laugh. She untangled herself from Mikage and approached poor frightened Sayaka. She grasped on Sayaka's face and pulled her closer, examining her face. "Hmm…" Freya mumbled. "Pretty girl." She said again, as she released Sayaka and pushed her away. "She would be very useful to bait that silly naïve boy Aogiri."

"Yu… Yuuhi?" Sayaka exclaimed in horror. She shook her head slowly. The image of Yuuhi's face appeared again in her head. His warm, friendly smile, and the way he laughs full-heartedly. Sayaka realized that she had liked him the first time she saw him at the station. "No… not Yuuhi… please…"

Mikage laughed devilishly. "How touching. I think she likes the boy." He said. "But do you like him that much that you would abandon your brother in our hands?" he said as he leaned backwards on the chair Akira was sitting before.

_Onii-chan…_

Mikage smiled at the expression reflected on Sayaka's face. "So, what do you say, little sister?"

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to be continued...


	3. Chapter Three

Mikage Kagami opened his eyes and found himself staring at a white ceiling. His eyelids felt extremely heavy, and his limbs felt so sore that he didn't want to move a single muscle. He exhaled deeply and turned his head as he heard noises at his side.  
  
  
  
  
There was a nurse dressed in white, checking the stability of the life support machinery that was humming softly in the silence of the white-walled room. She turned when she heard the soft noise that was made by Kagami's movement, and dropped her checkboard in shock.  
  
  
  
  
"Mi… Mikage-san!" the nurse exclaimed, her face beaming with both shock and amazement. "Doctor!!!" she yelled as she ran out of the room. "Doctor O'Howell!"  
  
  
  
  
_Where am I? _Kagami felt his head throbbing from the blinding brightness that struck his now-light-sensitive eyes. He tried to recall his last memory of consciousness, but his head hurts too much for him to think at the moment.  
  
  
  
  
He heard voices drawing nearer, and rapid footsteps, then the door opened and in walked a familiar face.  
  
  
  
  
"Kagami-san!" Alexander O'Howell stared in amazement as he saw that the nurse was telling the truth, that Mikage Kagami had finally came to consciousness. He froze for a moment, then walked towards Kagami to check his pulse.  
  
  
  
  
"Alec…" Kagami started to speak. His voice was hoarse. "What happened…?"  
  
  
  
  
"All pulse is normal…" Alec said, changing the subject to avoid having to answer Kagami's question. He then proceeded to check Kagami's eye reflexes by flashing a flashlight over his eyes, then he took out his stethoscope to check Kagami's heartbeat. But suddenly Kagami grasped his collar.  
  
  
  
  
"Alec!" Kagami pulled the young doctor towards him. "Answer me!"  
  
  
  
  
"Kagami-san… you… you survived the explosion…" Alec scrambled for words. "You've been in a coma… this whole time… for fifteen months…"  
  
  
  
  
_Fifteen months… _Kagami thought as he released Alec's collar. Then the images slowly returned back into his memory. Ceres… Mikage Shiso… Aya… Aki… Tooya… and all his C-Genoma subjects. He closed his eyes and laid back on the bed. _My C-Project…  
_  
  
  
  
Suddenly they heard a commotion outside the room. "Sir, wait! You can't go in there!" A nurse's voice was heard, but then it was followed by a blasting sound, and then screams, more blasts, and rapid footsteps.  
  
  
  
  
"What's going on out there…?" Alec mumbled as he walked towards the door. Suddenly, the door blasted into pieces, its blast sent Alec flying off to the wall.  
  
  
  
  
As the dust settled down, Alec opened his eyes to see the figure standing right in front of him. "What the hell do you think you're do…" Alec stopped his words when he could finally see clearly the face of the perpetrator. "No…" He mouthed the words, trembling in fear, as he saw the blood-stained hands and face. "It can't be…"  
  
  
  
  
Kagami's eyes widened in both astonishment and horror. "Mikage Shiso…!"  
  


  
* * *  
  


  
Kagami leaned back on the leather chair in his office up on the top floor of the new Mikage International building. Three days ago was when he had came back to consciousness. He looked around. The room looked exactly the same as if he were in the same building that was destroyed to ashes by the mass C-Genoma subjects' suicide a year ago. Since the incident, the rest of the Mikage clan had rebuilt the building exactly the same to resume their family business, and in hope that Kagami would return and resume the C-Project, to preserve their supposed "destiny" as civilization leaders. The five top floors of the 50-storey building was built to accommodate the technologies needed by the C-Project. The labs, the test chambers.  
  


_  
"Kagami…" Freya's voice echoed again inside his head. "I know your dreams… I know what you wish for… and I can make it all come true once again. We can build a new world together… the world that is of your ideal…" _

Kagami closed his eyes, and he could almost feel again the sweetness of her lips on his. 

_The perfect world…  
_  
  
  
  
She had first only enticed him for his help in obtaining her goal, which is to kill Ceres, and Aya's child. But when she learned that the Mikages had built a compound that possess an ability to clone manas, her eyes gleamed in astonishment.  
  
  
  
  
_Neo-C-Project. _Kagami had already given it a new name. He became enchanted by the revelation that Freya had brought to his knowledge. A chance that only passes every ten thousand years had fallen on his time.  
  


_  
"The tennyo crest… holds a sacred meaning. It's a talisman that holds forbidden powers." Freya said. "There are four points of celestial positions in each angle of the crest that holds immense power. With a holy sacrifice positioned in the center of the crest, and a perfect mana on each of the crest's power points, a fusion of the force will open a dimensional gate, in which both heaven and earth will merge into one." Freya concluded, as she delightfully watched the expression emerging on Kagami's face.   
  
  
  
  
"A perfect world…" Kagami had muttered in disbelief as he listened to Freya's revelation.  
_  
  


Kagami's daydream was abruptly interrupted by noises outside his door.  
  
  
  
  
"Hanashite yo!!" a girl's voice was heard screaming outside. The door opened, and Mikage Shiso walked in. Two big men in suits and shades were holding a raven-haired girl. Kagami stood up from where he is and approached them.  
  
  
  
  
"What is this?" Kagami asked.  
  
  
  
  
"This is your first guinea pig." Mikage Shiso said. "Miyashita Sayaka is a human C-Genoma."  
  
  
  
  
Kagami smiled at the sound of the word 'C-Genoma'. It always stirs his blood to excitement. "Take her down to the main lab. Get Alexander O'Howell from his containment chamber to supervise."  
  


  
* * *  
  


"Kagami-san! This is madness!" Alec exclaimed as Kagami walked into the main lab's control room. From the glass panel, they could see Sayaka being strapped to the hi-tech machinery that will extract her tennyo life force to clone an artificial mana. "Are you going to repeat the same nightmare? Have you forgotten what it was like!?"  
  
  
  
  
"It will be different this time, Alec. I promise." Kagami said calmly as his eyes never went away from his subject down below in the test chamber.  
  
  
  
  
"I will not be a part of this! You can imprison me here forever but I will not take any more part in any of this madness!" Alec exclaimed with determination.  
  
  
  
  
Kagami then turned to glance at the young doctor's sharp, determined words. Alexander O'Howell was the only lead scientist that survived the original C-Project, but ever since that incident, he had realized the evil of the C-Project and had sworn never to take part in it again. Therefore, Kagami had imprisoned him in the building to force upon his cooperation. He looked pale and tired as he hadn't eaten a single bite or slept a single wink in three days since he had been locked in the containment chamber.  
  
  
  
  
"Don't be foolish, O'Howell." Kagami said. "If you refuse to cooperate I will kill that girl. Is that what you want?"  
  
  
  
  
Alec looked at Kagami in horror. "No… you wouldn't do that! She's a subject critical to the experiment!"  
  
  
  
  
"She's a C-Genoma. I can replace her with other C-Genomas just as easily. You do realize we have millions of C-Genoma subjects all over the world?" Kagami said tauntingly, staring right at Alec.  
  
  
  
  
"Kagami-san…" Alec murmured in despair. He knew that Kagami was a ruthless person who would not say something if he did not mean it. And at the corner of his eye, he saw Wei Fei Li, Kagami's trusted ruthless henchman stepping up, ready for Kagami's command.  
  
  
  
  
Heavy-heartedly, Alec turned away and walked towards the control consoles, where the other assistant scientists await his orders. He sat down, and with trembling hands, pushed a button that triggered the machinery in the test chamber to hum into life. "Subject one… Miyashita Sayaka. C-Genoma subject type A." Alec muttered the words, holding back the tears in his eyes. 

"Test one… go."  
  


  
* * *

  
  
  
Late in the afternoon the following day, Sayaka was sitting silently on the railings on the school's rooftop. She doesn't know how long she's been sitting there since school hours ended. The once crowded basketball court and football field was now sitting silently in emptiness. The breeze that was soft and subtle was starting to sweep coldly through the air.  
  
  
  
  
It was only four days ago that her brother was suddenly possessed by Mikage Shiso. But it felt like ages ago. And it almost felt unreal. As she thought more about it, she buried her face in her palms and sobbed softly.  
  
  
  
  
Akira had only been the one and only love she had this whole time. He had been her fortress, her shoulder to cry on, someone who is always there for her, someone who holds her every night in her sleep. And the realization that he might be gone forever was too much for her.  
  


_  
"Don't worry… you'll get your brother back." She remembered Freya saying to her just yesterday. "Only if you do as you're told. It's all in your hands."   
  
  
"What exactly do you want me to do?" Sayaka had asked Freya in desperation.  
  
  
"Oh I have quite some tasks for you. You will lure all of them to us. I want Ceres, and that other tennyo Aogiri Suzumi. I want their manas." Freya answered. "And that tennyo child will be our sacred sacrifice."   
  
  
"And Tooya…" Mikage Shiso's eyes gleamed. "His head is mine."   
  
  
"That Aogiri boy and Tooya are the protectors. You will seduce the Aogiri boy and use his trust to kill both him and Tooya. Do it, and you will have your brother back in one piece. You have my word." Freya smiled a victorious smile.  
  
  
"But first, you would need to something else for us…"  
  
_

That was when she was taken away for the C-Project testing. Sayaka exhaled. Her body felt extremely weak after enduring hours of testing that extracted her life force out of her limbs. Even today.  
  
  
  
  
The sky was now glowing red as the sun was setting. Yet she didn't budge from where she had been sitting. _How can I do it to Yuuhi…? Why us…? _She couldn't understand why of all people, it happened to both her and her beloved brother. _My tennyo blood… it had brought all this…  
_  
  
  
  
Even she could not remember when she had first discovered she was a C-Genoma. Funny, even all her memories of her childhood could sometimes seemed as if they were merely a fragment of her imagination. One day, she could remember clearly the face of her parents. Another day, all her childhood memories would fade away, as though none of it had ever happened at all. She remembered the last time she saw both her parents when they returned to Japan two years ago. But somehow, there was no memory of what they did during that time, what conversations took place…  
  
  
  
  
_What am I really? What is this curse in my blood?  
_  
  
  
  
"Miyashita-san?" a voice suddenly called out behind her that took her by surprise that she almost fell from the railings. But Yuuhi's strong hands caught on to her.  
  
  
  
  
"Aogiri-san! You scared me half to death…" she said as she steadily regained her balance, and stepped down from the railings. It wasn't after a moment that they both realized they were still holding hands, and both of them retracted their hands, their faces turning red.  
  
  
  
  
"Gomen…" Yuuhi said. "I saw you from down below… and I thought I'd come up to say hello… what are you doing here at this hour?"  
  
  
  
  
"I… uh…" she wondered what she was going to say. "Ano… betsuni… I just felt like being alone…" she murmured as her eyes looked away from his eyes.  
  
  
  
  
"Are you all right? You look a little pale…" he said again, trying to find her gaze with a concerned look on his face.  
  
  
  
  
"Aa… daijobu! Watashi wa daijobu!" she answered quickly to divert his attention away from her poor condition.  
  
  
  
  
"Yokatta ne…" Yuuhi said again, smiling. And then for a moment, there was just silence between them. Yuuhi could hear his heart beating almost as if it were aloud. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach everytime he laid eyes on her, and he doesn't know why. _Ask her…! Ask her you baka! _Yuuhi argued with himself. He opened his mouth, the words at the tip of his tongue, but then he hesitated. "Well… in that case…" he said instead. "It's late… you wouldn't want to worry your brother, would you? Well… ja ne!" He said as he turned around. _Aogiri no baka! _He scolded himself. _Why are you such a chicken shit? Still hoping on Aya's heart that could never be yours?  
  
  
  
  
Onii-chan… _She thought of Akira as Yuuhi mentioned him. _I must… kill… Yuuhi… or Onii-chan will… _But then fatigue and dizziness overcame her and she collapsed onto the floor.  
  


  
* * *  
  
  
  
  
Tooya gazed out to the garden with a blank stare as he sat down at the Aogiri house's parlor. It felt a little strange to feel so energized, and to be immortal again… after all this time. He lifted up his right palm and looked at it. Then, the dagger emerged out of his flesh again. He examined the dagger closely, then let it disappear into his palm again.  
  
  
  
  
"Tooya…" Aya called out softly behind him. She walked to him and sat next to him. When Tooya told her what Ceres had told them, she had been surprisingly calm and collected as she listened. Even when mentioned the fact that their child, Aki, is in grave danger.  
  
  
  
  
Tooya took her in his arms and held her close.  
  
  
  
  
"Nee… Tooya… please be honest with me…" Aya started saying. "Are you dying…?"  
  
  
  
  
Tooya's eyes widened in shock at her question. For a moment he was speechless, not knowing what exactly he should tell her. Actually, not knowing how he should tell her is more likely.  
  
  
  
  
"Tooya, I know…" she said again, her head still nestled close on Tooya's shoulder. "I know that you are getting weaker… I know about your seizures… why didn't you tell me?"  
  
  
  
  
"I didn't want you to be worried, Aya." Tooya said.  
  
  
  
  
"But what about you?" Aya exclaimed, as she pulled away from him and looked at him. "You're going through this alone… taking it all as your own burden over your shoulders… I want to be there for you just as you've been there for me! You're not alone anymore, Tooya… remember?"  
  
  
  
  
Tooya was left speechless in stunnedness. But then as Aya's words sank into his heart, he felt warmth creeping up inside him. "Arigato… Aya…" he said as he smiled. "I promise I'll never keep anything from you ever again…"  
  
  
  
  
Their moment of affection was interrupted by a commotion. "Onee-sama!!!" Yuuhi's voice was heard yelling for Suzumi from a distance.  
  
  
  
  
"Yuuhi!?" Suzumi exclaimed as she walked across the hallway to see what the commotion was all about, Kyuu-chan following right behind her.  
  
  
  
  
"Nee-sama! Kyuu-chan!" Yuuhi exclaimed as he entered the door with an unconscious Sayaka in his arms. "Call a doctor! Hayaku!"  
  
  
  
  
As Kyuu-chan went to the telephone to call a doctor, Suzumi helped Yuuhi to lay the girl down in his room. "Yuuhi… what happened?"  
  
  
  
  
Tooya and Aya hurriedly entered Yuuhi's room to see what's going on. "That girl…" Aya muttered in disbelief as she saw Sayaka. "Tooya…" Aya turned to look at Tooya.  
  
  
  
  
Suzumi was startled by the look on Aya and Tooya's faces. She looked at Tooya for an explanation. "She was the girl we saw in the station… the girl whose brother looked exactly like Aki…" Tooya said to Suzumi. Then he turned to Yuuhi. "Yuuhi… how did you…?"  
  
  
  
  
"She's a new student, and I met her in school the day after we saw her at the station. We were just talking just now… and she suddenly…"  
  
  
  
  
"She's a tennyo…" Suzumi cut Yuuhi's words all of a sudden.  
  
  
  
  
Suzumi's words brought silence among Yuuhi, Aya and Tooya. They were all stunned for moment. Yuuhi's eyes stared at his sister-in-law in disbelief. "What are you saying… Onee-sama…?!" Yuuhi stammered in shock. "Tennyo…"  
  
  
  
  
"She's a tennyo descendant, Yuuhi. Just like me." Suzumi said calmly. "I can sense it just as I sensed Aya's existence, remember?" she said as she took Sayaka's lifeless hand in hers and checked her pulse. "She's extremely weak…"  
  
  
  
  
"A… tennyo…" Aya started speaking in shock. "And her brother… looked just like Aki… what does this all mean?"  
  
  
  
  
_Aya… _Ceres voice called out. _Let me out…  
_  
  
  
  
"Ceres…" Aya murmured softly. Then she stepped back, and let Ceres unleash herself out in her physique. Floating back to the floor, Ceres stepped towards where Sayaka was lying, and took her hand from Suzumi's.  
  
  
  
  
"Ceres…" Yuuhi said. "Can you do something?"  
  
  
  
  
Ceres turned to look at Yuuhi, and saw how concerned he looked. She realized that a soft spot for Sayaka had developed in his heart as well. "Her life force is very weak… as if it had been drained out…" Ceres said. "Freya might have something to do with this…" She paused for a moment. "But she'll be fine…"  
  
  
  
  
Yuuhi exhaled in relief and leaned back on the wall at Ceres' words.   
  
  
  
  
Tooya just stood there in silence. _Something inside me… is reacting to her presence… she's no ordinary tennyo descendant… _Tooya thought to himself. _What is she…?  
_  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
  
"Sayaka… we know of your tennyo blood…" Yuuhi said softly when he's finally left alone in the room as Suzumi went out to escort the doctor who had came to examine Sayaka.   
  
  
  
  
Sayaka looked at him, stunned at his words. "Yuuhi… how did you…" she started speaking. _He knows…! Does he know that I'm working with them…?  
_  
  
  
  
"Did that tennyo, Freya, and Mikage Shiso did this to you? Listen to me… they might come back for you and finish the job! It's not safe for you out there…!" Yuuhi exclaimed as he grasped on her shoulders. "I can protect you! We'll stop them together!" he exclaimed with determination.  
  
  
  
  
"Not without this, you won't." Suzumi walked in the room with the tennyo crest-sewn headband and armbands that Yuuhi used to wear. She walked towards Yuuhi and helped him put it on around his head and on his wrists.  
  
  
  
  
Yuuhi flexed his fists as he pulled the armband into place.  
  
  
  
  
"Count me in." Tooya said, appearing at the door. The dagger was in his hand, then it disappeared into his flesh.  
  
  
  
  
Sayaka's eyes widened. "What… what are you…? All of you?"   
  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
  
"Arigato, Yuuhi." Sayaka said as Yuuhi stopped his car in front of her large mansion. "You and your friends have all been so nice…"  
  
  
  
  
"Are you sure you'll be all right?" Yuuhi asked with concern.  
  
  
  
  
Sayaka nodded. "I can take care of myself… and I have… my brother… to protect me too…" She felt as if her heart broke for having to lie to him.  
  
  
  
  
Yuuhi smiled. Then after a sudden awkward moment of silence, he got out of his car to open the door for Sayaka.  
  
  
  
  
"Well… I'll see you in school tomorrow…" Sayaka said, as Yuuhi closed the door behind her when she got out.  
  
  
  
  
"Aa… hai…" Yuuhi said. "Please… if anything… you know where to find me…" he said as he waved his cellphone in the air. And then as another thought crossed his head, his face turned red. "Ano… would it be all right… if I asked you out… sometime…? Like maybe… for a date…?" he asked naively.  
  
  
  
  
She was stunned by his question. And her face turned red as well, and she nodded shyly to Yuuhi's delight.  
  
  
  
  
"Well then… Oyasumi…" Yuuhi said again sheepishly.  
  
  
  
  
"Oyasumi…" she said, and she turned to walk away. But after a couple of steps, suddenly she turned back and kissed Yuuhi on his cheek, and quickly turned around again and ran off into her gate. "Ja mata ashita!" she yelled from afar.  
  
  
  
  
Yuuhi was left stunned in the darkness. A tingling warm sensation was creeping up in his chest. Something that he had always felt… only for Aya. Slowly, he smiled.

_Sayaka…  
_  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
  
Sayaka opened the door to her bedroom. When she turned on the light, she found Mikage Shiso sitting in the middle of her room, waiting for her. Sayaka gasped in shock when she saw him.  
  
  
  
  
He smiled devilishly when he saw her. Then, slowly, Freya's figure emerged into visibility next to him.  
  
  
  
  
"What a sweet display." Freya said with a mocking smile on her face. "So tell us something good that you found out today…!"  
  
  
  
  
"It's only been a day…" Sayaka said, after hesitating, even though Yuuhi and Suzumi had told her almost everything about themselves when she had asked, and the reappearance of Ceres. "He didn't tell me anything."   
  
  
  
  
"Are you sure…?" Freya taunted her. "You know… if you do know something you should really be telling us. You will be rewarded accordingly. I promise you."  
  
  
  
  
"And how exactly would you reward me?" Sayaka asked, leaning back on her door.  
  
  
  
  
Mikage Shiso stood up. "By letting you have your brother back for one night." He said, smiling his usual victorious smile. "One night. It's enough for now, isn't it?"  
  
  
  
  
Sayaka's eyes widened in shock. _Onii-chan…  
_  
  
  
  
"Mikage…" Freya ordered. Mikage Shiso nodded, and closed his eyes. Then Sayaka saw a strange shadowy mist lift up from her brother's body. Akira's body slumped on the floor lifelessly. But then, he started moving, but he was weak.  
  
  
  
  
Freya bent down towards Akira and pulled his face up so Sayaka could see him. "Like I said… it's all in your hands…" she hissed at Sayaka.  
  
  
  
  
"Sa…ya…ka…" Akira mouthed his words as he was choked by Freya's grip.  
  
  
  
  
"Onii-chan…!" she screamed, then turned to Freya. "Stop it! He can't breathe!" she exclaimed. Upon looking at Freya's face, she knew if she told her something good, she'll be able to hold her brother in her arms again. Clenching her trembling fist, she finally opened her mouth, "The mana… Ceres' mana… is now inside Tooya!" she screamed out the words with tears streaming out of her eyes.  
  
  
  
  
Freya looked up at her as she heard the words. She smiled, and slowly released Akira's neck. He slumped back to the floor. "Good girl." Freya hissed. "Have fun." she said mockingly, and disappeared.  
  
  
  
  
"Onii-chan!!!" Sayaka shrieked and she hurriedly went to lift her brother up in her arms. With the last ounce of her strength, she tangled his arm around her shoulders and dragged him up to lie on her bed.  
  
  
  
  
"Sayaka… what happened…?" Akira mumbled, his hand resting on his forehead. "My head… hurts…"   
  
  
  
  
Her tears dripped onto his face. "It's all right… everything's gonna be all right…" she said softly as she held her brother's face in her palms and kissed him again and again.  
  
  
  
  
Akira took both her hands by her wrists and looked at her for a moment. Then he pushed her down and climbed on top of her. He looked at her intently as his fingers toyed with her shirt's buttons. Then he slowly leaned down closer and kissed her passionately. Tugging off each other's clothes, the two siblings are now entangled in their own world.  
  
  
  
  
_One night… just one night…   
  
  
  
  
Onii-chan…  
  
  
  
  
…  
  
  
  
  
Yuuhi…  
  
  
  
  
Gomen nasai…  
  
_

====================================================================================

to be continued…


	4. Chapter Four

Sayaka stirred awake from her deep sleep. She felt a little bit more refreshed than she was the day before, but the weak feeling still lingers in her limbs.

_Oniichan! _She remembered suddenly as her consciousness started to sink in. She turned around, only to find an empty spot beside her on her bed. Then she remembered Mikage Shiso's words… _One night. _One night was all she had with her brother. Her fingers slowly descend to touch the bedsheet on where her brother had been lying. Then she pulled on the sheets and wrapped it around her naked body and she walked out of her room to find him.

_Maybe… just maybe… _Her mind was filled with hope as she descended the staircase. "Oniichan!" she called out.

"Oniichan!!!"

She sunk down on the floor amidst the echoing of her own voice, realizing that her beautiful dream had passed, taking away her brother along with its passing. Suddenly, she felt a little strange. Looking up, she almost couldn't believe her eyes as she saw the walls of her home suddenly faded for a split second, and then came back to normal. Shocked, she turned around to look at another direction. Her eyes went straight towards a picture frame of her family. A pretty picture of her father, mother, Akira, and herself. To her horror, the image of her parents started to fade in that picture, but then it emerged into visibility again.

"What's going on…?" Sayaka stammered in shock. "What's happening to me…?"

* * *

"Yuuhi…" Aya's voice called out to a daydreaming Yuuhi. Receiving no response, she paused for a moment, staring at Yuuhi, who is sitting on the breakfast table holding his chin on his palm and staring dreamily into thin air. "YUUHI NO BAKA!" Aya suddenly screamed right at his ears that caused Yuuhi to fall off his chair.

"Aya!!!" Yuuhi barked back as he emerged back from under the chair. "Are you trying to kill me?" As he looked up, he was greeted by Aya's mischievous face bearing a wide grin.

"Yuu-uu-hi?" Aya said, narrowing her eyes. "Your head seem to be out in space this morning." Aya said as she playfully knocked on the side of his skull. "Earth to Yuuhi, come back please?"

Yuuhi pushed Aya's hand away gently, his face blushing red. "Uh… I will be late for school…" he said as he picked up his schoolbag, changing the unsaid but obvious subject at hand. Avoiding Aya's eyes, he walked hurriedly out of the dining room, almost knocking down Tooya, who happened to be walking in. "Aa… gomen, Tooya. Ja ne." He said as he disappeared into the hallway.

_Yuuhi…_ Aya thought to herself as she watched him walk away. _The look in his eyes were so familiar. He's in love again… finally… _She exhaled, and then she closed her eyes and smiled. _Yokatta ne… Yuuhi…_

* * *

"Alec…" Kagami's calm voice echoed in the containment chamber. Despite having the containment chamber furnished to a full basic human needs, Alexander O'Howell was found sitting on the cold floor at the empty left corner of the chamber, hugging his knees like a frightened child.

Alec looked up at Kagami. "Kagami-san…"

"What are the test results of subject 0001-A?" Kagami asked grimly.

"Is that all she is to you? A subject? She is a human being, just like the rest of us." Alec exclaimed as he stood up.

"No, Alec. She's better than the rest of us." Kagami said. "You're completely misinterpreting me. You, of all people, should know how I treasure tennyos."

"By treating them like animals?" The young scientist snapped at the cold-staring Kagami.

Kagami smiled. "Don't you remember, Alec? A long time ago, a tennyo descended to Earth and taught man all her celestial knowledge. And man planted their seed in them to bear perfect offsprings. It was then that man became civilized. It is their purpose, and destiny, to serve and make this world a better place. The Mikage tennyo legend was the first one ever existed. We are destined to lead the world."

Alec clenched his fists as he trembled in anger. "You're insane…"

"Your resistance will bring you nothing but victims. At each hint of uncooperation from you I will terminate a replacable C-Genoma. You will bring yourself no closer to the termination of this sacred project." Kagami reminded him again. "As I was saying, what were the test results of Miyashita Sayaka?"

Alec slumped back on the floor and leaned back on the cold wall. "99… 99.79 percent…" Alec said finally. "Surprisingly better than expected. Her life force… is virtually immaculate… to get that high of a result at an initial test…"

"It's not good enough." Kagami replied coldly.

"Kagami-san…" Suddenly Wei Fei Li's grim voice interrupted them as he walked into the chamber. "The first batch of the Eurasiatic C-Genoma subjects have arrived. They are being escorted to their test labs."

Kagami didn't move, nor did he answer.

"Your next orders, sir?"

"Prepare them for cloning tests immediately." Kagami finally answered simply.

"Hai." Wei turned around abruptly at his superior's orders and he walked out of the containment chamber.

"Wait." Kagami's voice halted Wei's steps. "Bring Miyashita Sayaka in for further testing."

Alec's eyes widened in shock. "Kagami-san! No! It's too early for a second test! She could die!" Alec yelled in utter protest.

Kagami ignored Alec's comment and motioned for Wei to execute his orders. Turning back to Alec, he smiled. "Shall we, Doctor O'Howell?" he asked politely as he motioned at the door.

* * *

Yuuhi walked the school hallways hurriedly, almost running. His heart was beating fast. He had been waiting all day for school hours to end, and he had cursed his teacher for dismissing his class a little later than the others for a useless extra explanation over a math theorem. He stopped in front of class 2-B and found it completely vacated empty. He exhaled deeply, and turned around to run down the stairs. Suddenly, as he was turning to descend another flight of stairs, his eye caught a glimpse of Sayaka at the backyard of the school grounds, speaking to someone whom he thought looked familiar. Then, as he suddenly grasped on Sayaka's arm, Yuuhi suddenly realized who it is.

_That Mikage bodyguard! _And without further thinking, he dropped his bag and leaped over one full floor, landing steadily on his feet, on a stance ready to attack. "Let her go!" He yelled out as he flipped out his trusted weapon, the lucky chopsticks.

Wei turned around at the sound of Yuuhi's voice, and flipped out his chain whip around his back. Sayaka's eyes widened in shock when she saw Yuuhi.

"Yuuhi! No!" Sayaka screamed. "Please! Just… go!"

"Still playing hero I see, Aogiri." Mikage Shiso suddenly emerged from behind the trees. He walked towards Wei, who was holding Sayaka's hand, and took her from him. Coiling his one arm around her waist, he ran his tongue on the curve of her neck lustfully.

"Don't touch her, you bastard!!!" Yuuhi roared in anger as he charged forward towards Mikage Shiso, only to be met halfway by the swing of Wei's weapon. Yuuhi countered fast enough, holding its deadly blow away with his chopsticks. "Mikage, snap out of it! You're completely possessed!" Yuuhi yelled. Suddenly, Wei's strong kick landed point blank on his belly, sending him a couple of yards back.

In a split second, Wei charged forward to where Yuuhi was standing. "And who planted that ridiculous notion in your head? Ceres, I presume?" Mikage replied calmly. Yuuhi was now overwhelmed by the almost god-like speed his opponent possesses, as he is now almost surrounded by numerous powerful blows swinging at him from every direction. Avoiding Wei's attacks seemed like they were only slim chances.

"Actually, I don't feel like making a big scene today." Mikage Shiso suddenly said as he lifted up his one hand in the air, then slowly, a violet glow in the form of a sphere appeared on his palm. Then it shot out at full speed right at Yuuhi.

Wei leaped out of the line of fire, and Yuuhi, right on the path of the powerful attack, could only cross his arms in defense, in hope that his tennyo crested bands would do their job once again. A violet force field suddenly enclosed around Yuuhi, and as Mikage's chi ball hit Yuuhi's barrier, it created an enormous blast that almost shook the ground.

"[We'll be seeing you some other time, little sister. Don't ignore your obligations to us.]" He whispered it softly only for Sayaka to hear, and then released her. In a flash, he motioned to Wei, and the two of them disappeared amidst the dust and smoke.

"Yuuhi!" Sayaka yelled as she got up on her feet and rushed towards where she had last seen Yuuhi. She couldn't see anything amidst the cloud of smoke. But then, as the debris settled and the air cleared. She saw Yuuhi. He had minor scratches and wounds, but aside that, he was fine. 

Stunned for a while upon seeing her, Yuuhi then hurriedly got up on his feet and went to Sayaka. "Are you all right?"

She looked at Yuuhi for a moment, then to Yuuhi's surprise, a stinging slap came across his face from her hand. "Baka! Yuuhi no baka!!!" she yelled suddenly.

"Sayaka…" Stunned, Yuuhi touched his cheek, where it's now red from the hard slap that had landed there. He was confused.

"Yuuhi no baka!!!" She yelled again as she started pounding on his chest. "You could've been killed! If he had not chosen to leave, you would have been killed! If you were killed, I… I…"

Yuuhi suddenly grasped on both her pounding wrists, holding them back. "If I were killed, you would… what?" 

Sayaka gasped into silence, stunned over the words that had almost slipped out of her mouth. Then, her hands that had been tense in resisting Yuuhi's grip, slowly loosened, and she let Yuuhi take her into his warm embrace.

* * *

Kagami stood in the middle of an enormous hall that was still undergoing heavy construction. Hundreds of men were constructing the walls, the poles, and carving the floor into what looked like an unfinished tennyo crest. Freya stood next to him, liking what she's seeing.

"Mikage will finally have its destiny." Kagami said, turning to Freya. "You made it happen, Freya."

"Our perfect world is at hand…" Freya murmured softly, intoxicated by the idea. "When the clock strikes twelve at the turn of the year… heaven and earth will finally become one…"

Then, they were interrupted by footsteps coming up behind them. Turning around, they saw Mikage Shiso walking towards them, escorted by a faithful Wei.

"Where's Sayaka?" asked Kagami.

"Aogiri landed in the scene to play hero." Mikage Shiso chuckled. "I was so amused I decided to let them off the hook for once. Just smoothening the path for her job." He said as he walked towards Freya.

"We don't have much time left." Kagami exclaimed. "None of the C-Genoma subjects gathered showed test results close to hers! She might be our best chance in accomplishing this project. We need her!"

"I wouldn't worry about her." Freya said as she clung onto Mikage. "As long as we possess this so-called 'vessel'…" she paused as she touched Mikage's chest, "That little puppet of ours will come running back to us anytime we bellowed."

"I wonder if that tennyo Aogiri Suzumi… is as 'good' as our little girl…?"

* * *

Sayaka took the can of drink from Yuuhi's hand that he had opened for her. She silently sipped it slowly, then set it beside her on the bench she was sitting on. The sun was slowly setting. They have been sitting in that park for hours now.

"I'm sorry I slapped you…" She finally said.

Yuuhi sat up on the railings in front of the bench, facing her. He just shook his head slowly. "Don't worry about it…" he said. "How is your body? Are you feeling all right?"

She nodded and smiled to Yuuhi. There was another long stretch of silence for a moment. "Why are you protecting me?" she asked him finally.

Yuuhi took a deep breath. "I guess… it's my destiny."

"To protect strangers you barely knew?" Sayaka asked. "Have you always been like this your whole life?"

Yuuhi looked away towards the sun. "Somehow I always find myself drawn into the path of tennyos." He said as he closed his eyes. "Suzumi nee-sama… then Aya… and then… Chidori…" he paused for a moment. 

Sayaka could almost hear the pain in his voice as he said Chidori's name. "What happened to Chidori?"

Chidori…Her name fleeted in Yuuhi's head. All the memories streamed back inside his head. Breaking into the Mikage International Building with Tooya to rescue Chidori… then, holding Chidori's lifeless body in his arms. "Chidori wa…" he started to speak. "She's a girl who never shows any signs of sadness. Always happy, and full of life. In my eyes she was always just like a little sister to me…"

"I was an idiot. I was blinded by the pain of not being able to have Aya… and I had ignored the feelings of the one person who was always right next to me. Until it was all too late… and she died in my arms." Yuuhi said again. After a pause, he then opened his eyes. But his eyes didn't reflect a hint of sadness. There was sheer clarity reflected in his gaze. "Demo… what she did… taking that bullet to save me… is what gives me strength to go on. She showed me that there will always be hope, as long as you can love someone. And even if your love is unrequited, knowing that you have loved and can love another is what makes you feel more alive…"

Sayaka looked at Yuuhi with astonishment in her eyes. His words came out of his mouth so fervently yet calmly. _Loving another person… is what makes you feel more alive… loving oniichan… _

_Loving…_

_Yuuhi…_

Yuuhi leaped down onto the ground from where he was sitting. "Sayaka…" he said hesitantly. "When I'm with you… I… uh… ever since Chidori died I haven't…" But suddenly, his words were interrupted by the sound of his ringing cellphone. Startled into silence, it took Yuuhi almost half a minute to finally answer it. "Hai… oo… onee-sama! … Nani? You're going to see otoo-san now? … Hai… Wakatta… ja." He flipped his phone close and slipped it in his pocket.

The breeze was getting colder, and they were just there in silence again. Yuuhi suddenly felt at loss over the words he's been meaning to say this whole time.

_Sayaka… I'm in love with you…_

"It's getting late… we should go…" Sayaka suddenly said, as she got up from her seat and turned to walk away.

Yuuhi knew that it was now or never, and with that thought, he grabbed her arm and pulled her to him, crashing her soft figure onto his body. His palm took her face and guided it towards his. Taken by surprise, Sayaka's first instinct was to pull away, but the feel of his warm lips on hers felt as if it was about to devour her last drop of sanity, and she melted. She could feel all of his feelings rushing into her like a intense ocean current.

_A moment of bliss… _Sayaka slowly closed her eyes as she coiled her arms around Yuuhi's back and savored his impulsive affection. _Yuuhi… why do you have to make it all so hard…_

* * *

Aya hummed softly as she sat in front of the mirror, brushing her silky hair. She looked out the window and saw Tooya sitting across the parlor, cradling his baby daughter to sleep in his arms. Aya smiled at the sight. As she turned around and set her hairbrush on the table, suddenly her reflection in the mirror morphed into Ceres.

"Ceres!" Aya exclaimed in surprise at her appearance before her.

"Aya…" she said softly. "I'm sorry for always bringing my affairs into your peaceful life…"

"Don't say that, Ceres…" Aya said, touching the mirror. "You and I are one and the same. We will fight this together. Mikage will return to your side… because he loves you, he truly loves you…"

Ceres smiled at Aya's reply. "Demo, Aya…" she said again. "When this is all over… I will have to take my mana back from Tooya. Are you ready to face the inevitable? That Tooya will die…?"

Ceres' words struck Aya like a sharp knife right into her heart. She sat there silently, her fingers trembling. Then she looked up at Ceres. "No matter how hard I prepare myself for it… I know it will never be enough because I love him so much… but…" Aya closed her eyes as she paused. "When the time comes… we will all be together again… with Aki… and also Chidori… Even if Tooya will be gone, but he will always be in my heart…" she said as she touched her chest. "Giving me strength… for the sake of our daughter, Aki…"

"You've matured much… Aya…" Ceres said again, then she disappeared.

Aya was silent for a moment, staring blankly. Then the door opened and Tooya walked in. "Aya…" he said. 

"Aa… Tooya…" Aya replied, always glad to see Tooya. She looked at his sad, mysterious eyes as he walked towards her and put Aki in her arms, and saw that there was something on his mind. "Is something wrong, Tooya?"

"Iie… betsuni." Tooya said softly, then he kissed Aya's forehead. "I'll be going out for walk…"

Aya nodded silently, and watched Tooya walk out of the room. _Tooya… what's in your mind?_

"TOOYA-SAN! TOOYA-SAN!!!" Kyuu-chan's voice broke the serenity of the Aogiri house as she suddenly scampered across the hallway towards where Tooya was standing.

"What is it, Kyuu-chan?"

She stopped in front of Tooya, catching her breath, waving the telephone in front of his face. "Tomonori-sama just called…! Ojoo-sama… ojoo-sama… has been kidnapped!!!"

* * *

Suzumi stirred into consciousness, feeling extremely weak. The last thing she remembered was seeing suited men rushing towards her from the corner of her eye as she was walking out of her father-in-law's house with Tomonori, after one of her frequent visits. She found herself being strapped to a chair, and surrounded by numerous beeping machinery. _Where am I? _She looked around with her still hazy vision, and could only see numerous white-clad men and women going about around her.

"Aogiri Suzumi." She heard an echoing voice say her name that projected around the room. "How are you feeling?"

Suzumi looked up, and from the glass window in the control room, she saw a familiar figure standing there, staring down at her. As her vision cleared, she recognized the sinister look on the man's face. _Mikage Kagami…! How can this be…? _"What have you done to me!?" she asked austerely to Kagami.

"You have an impressive tennyo blood in you, Suzumi-san." Kagami said again, smiling.

She clenched her fists and focused her energy to release the straps that were binding her down. But she found that she had no more strength within her, as if they had been sapped away. The violet glow that emerged around her as she focused her strength faded into thin air. "Is this what you have done to Sayaka? You monster!"

Kagami laughed at Suzumi's comment. "Of course… she's very cooperative." He said again. Then to Suzumi's horror, Sayaka's figure emerged behind him. Kagami guided her to the glass window, putting his one arm around his most precious C-Genoma subject.

"Suzumi…-san…" Sayaka murmured softly as she touched the glass, looking at Suzumi.

* * *

The walls were white. There were no windows in the room. It was occupied with a bed and a sidetable, and that was it. Suzumi had heard the door locked by a digital system lock from the outside, and she could find no controls that she could possibly tamper with from the inside. She realized that she is now imprisoned.

She sprung into alert when she heard the digital lock beeped, and the door opened. But to her surprise, it was Sayaka who walked in, bringing a tray of food and drink for her. 

Sayaka walked in and set the tray next to Suzumi on the table. She remained silent, as does Suzumi as Sayaka walked past her.

"Suzumi-san…" Sayaka turned around, finally having the courage to look into the eyes of Yuuhi's sister, but only to be greeted by a hard slap across her face from Suzumi's hand. Sayaka stepped back as she saw Suzumi's angry face glaring right at her.

"How could you do this to Yuuhi!?" Suzumi exclaimed angrily. "When I saw you up there, I keep telling myself that you were only their victim, but it seems that I was just naïve to believe that you were only a helpless girl taken advantage by Mikage's evil!" Suzumi's breathing became irregular as she felt her rage almost exploding in her chest. "How could you do this to my brother!?"

Slowly, Suzumi's angry voice faded into a faint whisper. "Yuuhi… that boy…" she said. "He's all I have in the world… He doesn't need anymore pain…"

Sayaka slumped down onto the floor on her knees. "Gomen nasai… Suzumi-san…" she said softly, looking down on the floor. "Suzumi-san… you know what it feels like having a brother that you love so much… having him as the only one you have in the world…" she looked into Suzumi's eyes with tear-filled eyes. "Akira… Akira… he's been possessed… and I don't know if I'll ever get him back…"

Suzumi's anger suddenly died down. She was now in conflict whether to trust the words that are coming out of Sayaka's mouth… or… "Possessed?" Suzumi asked. "By who?"

"By me." Mikage Shiso suddenly appeared at the door. "Naturally."

Shocked at what she's seeing, Suzumi fell into paralyzing silence. Then, another figure emerged at his side. A beautiful woman, just as beautiful as Ceres, with an evil gleam in her eyes. "Tell me… Aogiri Suzumi…" Freya said. "How is my friend, Ceres, doing?"

* * *

Sitting in front of his brother, Tomonori, and his father, Yuuhi remained silent as Tomonori explained to him what had happened earlier. Tooya stood quietly by the window, listening to the story. The air in the Aogiri house is now grim and silent.

"Did you see who took her away?" Yuuhi finally asked his elder brother.

Tomonori shook his head. "I was escorting her out into the car when someone hit my head from the back. The next thing I knew she was gone." He said as he adjusted the bandage that was around his skull.

Yuuhi clenched his fists and he started trembling. "But why onee-sama…? What do they want from her?"

Master Aogiri, Yuuhi's father, frowned as he was deep in thought. "When Suzumi-san came to tell me everything that has happened… it did struck both of us as odd on how they haven't made any direct moves on Ceres, nor Tooya…" he said, pausing. "Why are they capturing other tennyo descendants?"

Aya gasped softly, as she stood quietly outside the door, listening to their conversation. "Tooya!" she exclaimed, rushing into the room. "Tennyo descendants… are C-Genomas… aren't they?"

Tooya's eyes widened. "Masaka!? The C-Project?!"

"Nani!?" Yuuhi exclaimed. "But Mikage Kagami is dead!"

"Iia. That is merely our human speculation." Yuuhi's father responded. "I've managed to get a full investigation report from the head of authorities who investigated the remains of the ship underwater. Mikage Kagami was pronounced dead, although his body, or any trace of his remains were never found." He concluded.

Tomonori's face suddenly lit up as if he just had an epiphany. "Ano…" he started. "The Mikage International building… has been rebuilt this year… maybe that's a starting point for us."

"Mikage… International…" Yuuhi muttered the words. He could feel the anger boiling up in his chest. The memories he had when he had to break into that building to rescue Chidori was not a pleasant nor beautiful memory. And now, he's faced with the possibility of having to return into that accursed building. "What are we waiting for then?!" Yuuhi exclaimed as he stood up, his fighting spirit ignited. But then, he felt a hand touch his shoulder.

"Let me go alone." Tooya said calmly.

"Tooya!" Aya exclaimed in protest, standing up.

"What are you talking about, Tooya! There's no way in hell I'm going to let you go in there alone!" Yuuhi objected, grabbing Tooya's wrist.

Tooya looked at Yuuhi, and then at Aya, then he turned back to Yuuhi and pulled his hand away from Yuuhi's grip. "We're dealing with a different enemy this time. They're stronger, and they're more cunning." Tooya said. "I need you to guard Aya for me… you're the only one I can trust, Aogiri." Then he lifted his hand, and produced the red-glowing dagger in his palm. "I am immortal, just as Mikage Shiso is. I'm the only one who can fight him."

* * *

The wind was howling hard, as if a storm was coming to sweep over Tokyo. Tooya stood in front of the new Mikage International building. Tightening his grip on his dagger, he stepped forward and walked into the building.

"Hey you!" A security guard yelled as Tooya walked past him. "Where do you think you're going!?" As he received no response from Tooya, he pulled out his gun. "Stop, or I will shoot!"

Tooya glanced at him, but then he resumed walking. As he heard several gunshots, he swung around as quick as lightning and dodged all three bullets coming right at him. The security guard ran towards him in attack, but with a single kick on his face, Tooya brought him down unconscious.

More security guards came running inside the lobby as Tooya proceeded towards the elevator. As they surround him, he calmly lifted his dagger, and suddenly a bright light flashed from it, blinding the vision of the guards temporarily. When they regained their vision, Tooya was gone.

Waiting in the elevator as it brought him up to the top floor, Tooya examined his surrounding. _This building… was built identical… almost as if the old building was never destroyed… _He thought as he recalled the same feeling he had when he had numerously walked in and out of the Mikage International building, back when he was their hired henchmen.

_Bing. _The elevator sounded, and as the door opened, suddenly a wave of blow from Wei's powerful chain whip shot into the elevator interior. Dodging them swiftly, Tooya shot out of the door and found himself standing face to face with an old opponent.

"Tooya." Wei smirked as he gripped on his weapon.

Tooya replied with his silence, and took an attack stance, his dagger appeared in his hand.

"Stop." A familiar voice called out. Mikage Shiso was standing at the other end of the hallway behind Tooya. "Tooya's head is mine." He said, with a smile on his face.

"Mikage!" Tooya exclaimed. 

Mikage's eyes gleamed, and the tennyo crest glowed on his chest. Suddenly, his hand produced a dagger that was identical to Tooya's. Then, without further waiting, he charged forward towards Tooya. Shocked, Tooya was overwhelmed by his speed. He realized that Mikage had gained more power than the last time they encountered. The two daggers clashed, and its electrifying impact sent a gust of force, shattering all the windows around them into millions of pieces. In another split second, Mikage blasted a powerful force blast point blank on Tooya's chest, sending Tooya crashing into the wall at the end of the hallway.

_Kuso… _Tooya cursed, wiping the blood off his mouth as he struggled to get up. But Mikage didn't give him any chance. The moment he got up on his feet, he was pounded again and again with numerous blasts, only managing to avoid one or two. Finally seeing an open path, Tooya charged towards Mikage. But Mikage was too fast. No matter how fast Tooya attacked, Mikage dodged it gracefully and even managed to retaliate successfully.

And soon after enduring a losing battle, Tooya was worn out. He fell on his knees, and was coughing out blood.

"Getting rusty, eh Tooya?" And to Tooya's horror, Mikage's feet was suddenly standing in front of his face. When he looked up, Mikage had his palm extended right towards him, and the next thing he knew, he saw a blinding bright light.

Tooya's body crashed out from the glass window, and he fell… and fell… and fell… It felt endless. And then it was all dark.

Mikage stood in front of the shattered window where Tooya had fell off from. He looked down and saw Tooya's body lying lifeless on the concrete, in a pool of blood. He smiled victoriously. 

"Sweet dreams, Tooya."

====================================================================================

to be continued…


	5. Chapter Five

The fall felt like eternity. As Tooya felt the speed of gravity pulling his body towards mother earth, he could almost see his whole life flashing through his eyes. 

_Death… we meet again._

Then he felt as if his whole body shattered as it slammed onto the cold concrete. This pain was nothing like he had ever imagined before. Even the millions of bullets he had taken when Mikage "killed" him did not create this much pain. The vision in his eyes was overtook by a bright light, and he saw the clearest, bluest sky ever. Underneath his feet, was an endless stretch of blue ocean.

His green eyes caught sight of a tall figure floating above the water not too far away. The figure turned around, and smiled as he saw Tooya. 

"Aki…?" Tooya called out, when he realized who it was. In a flash, the person was suddenly standing in front of him.

"Iie." The young man smiled as he shook his head gently. "You remember me, don't you?"

"Akira…!" Tooya exclaimed in surprise. "What is this place? Why are you here? Am I dead?"

"Hardly." Akira smiled in amusement.

"Where am I?"

"Look… Tooya…" Akira said, as he motioned towards the ocean water. Tooya saw a soft glow emerging from the deep blue abyss, and slowly, a mana surfaced, and it ascended right in between them.

"The mana…" Tooya muttered softly. "Ceres' mana?"

The mana drew closer to Tooya, and then in a flash, it surged into his body, merging with him. Tooya closed his eyes and felt his body re-energized. When he opened his eyes, Akira was still in front of him. And to Tooya's surprise, he saw another mana glowing inside Akira's chest.

"You and I… are the same, Tooya…" Akira smiled. "Your body has been regenerated back to life by the mana… go and return to Aya…" he said softly, and his figure slowly faded away.

"Wait!" Tooya exclaimed. "What is the meaning of this!?"

"Help her, Tooya… help my Sayaka…" Akira's voice echoed in the blue vacuum. And then, suddenly Tooya felt a force pulling him down into the ocean. As his body splashed into the cool water, suddenly the blue faded into darkness, and the serene silence was crowded again with noises, familiar, earthly noises. He felt the hardness of the concrete under his back, and his body slowly registered the feel of pain that was still there. His arms felt like it had been held down by a thousand tons as he tried to lift it up to touch his forehead. His mouth still tasted of blood, and he could not mouth a single word. But, yes, he is alive, and will live. For now.

"TOOYA!" Yuuhi's familiar voice was heard following the sound of a creaking door.

_Yuuhi?_ Tooya was confused. Was he home? How did he get there…?

* * *

Mikage stood silently, feeling the hot water pour on him from the shower head. Slowly, steam filled the room. The water ran around his foot, red with blood off his skin. Tooya's blood. 

There was no sign of the usual vicious glow that's always gleaming in his eyes. They were just blank, and he was staring at both his palms, feeling the surge of endless energy that is flowing to the tips of his fingers. The images of the encounter he just had with Tooya suddenly found its way back into his memory. 

_Ceres…_

The image of Ceres danced in his mind. So beautifully and so gracefully. He lifted up his hands and placed it flat on the walls and leaned his head forward on it. He closed his eyes. Glimpses of his happiness flashed one by one. He remembered now that he loved Ceres.

_What happened… to me?_

_Ceres…_

The image of Ceres suddenly faded away. He felt a stronger force rising up in his chest, taking over his thoughts and feelings. As he tried to fight it, suddenly a force of pain took over his head. A fiery violet glow started to emerge in his eyes. Then it faded… and then glowed again… as if the two forces in him were fighting each other.

"Ce… Ceres…!" 

Then the battling pain stopped. And there was silence. The water was still pouring on his body, washing all his memories away. Then Mikage opened his eyes, glowing with hatred and evil. The tennyo crest on his chest started to glow brighter, and brighter.

"Ceres… betrayed… me…" The words escape Mikage's lips softly. "I… will… destroy… her…" Then his eyes narrowed in anger. "…and… Tooya… the next time we meet… will be the end of you…"

* * *

"Why didn't you kill him?" Freya asked, as she lied in Mikage's arms. Her finger was toying gently on his chest, where the tennyo crest is emblazoned on.

"Ceres' mana is inside him. There is nothing that could kill him permanently at this point." Mikage answered, without even looking at her. After a pause, he glanced at her through the corner of his eye. "Containing him here would be dangerous for us. We must capture Ceres and that child, then lure Tooya for an exchange of the mana."

"I just gave him a little taste of my wrath." He finally said, looking down into her eyes.

"Mikage…" Freya looked up into his eyes. "Do you love me?"

Mikage's eyes looked blank for a moment. But then, the violet glow flickered in his eyes, and he smiled. Suddenly he grasped on her face with his palm. Looking at her, he pulled her face into his and they kissed like mad lovers. 

_Mikage…_

_You're finally mine…_

* * *

Sitting next to a silent Aya, Yuuhi was silent as well. Tooya's motionless body lay in front of them, unmoving. Aya's tears had flowed until they could flow no more. And Tooya… had not moved since they found him lying lifeless in front of the gate of the Aogiri house.

_Tooya… _Yuuhi looked at his friend. They had spent a whole night taking care of Tooya's wounds. And Aya had not slept a wink until this moment. And neither has he. _Those Mikage bastards… I must do something…_ He thought again, and got up on his feet.

"Yuuhi…?" Aya looked up at him.

"Those bastards…" Yuuhi's hands started to tremble in anger as he speak. "I have to go there… and take back onee-sama!"

Shocked, Aya got up on her feet. She started shaking her head vigorously. "No!" she exclaimed. "No, Yuuhi!"

"Aya… please…"

"No! Yuuhi…! Onegai!!!" Aya screamed as she grasped on Yuuhi's shirt, her eyes filled with tears.

"I can't just sit here and do nothing, Aya!" Yuuhi exclaimed. "I have to do something!"

"Baka!" Aya yelled. "What can you do?! Don't be foolish, Yuuhi! Just… look at Tooya!!!" she screamed as her fingers clutched tighter onto his shirt, then she slowly sunk onto the floor.

It was then that the horrible realization dawned upon Yuuhi. _I am only one man…_

_One… mortal… man…_

_* * *_

_Sayaka…_

Sayaka turned around, and found herself standing in pitch black darkness. She recognized the voice. It was the voice of her beloved Akira.

"Oniichan!" she called out as the voice stopped calling, her eyes searching frantically for a visible figure. Then, she saw him emerge out of the darkness, but then he faded away. A moment later her eyes caught a glimpse of him emerging at another direction, but again, he faded away. 

_Sayaka…_

_Do you remember… our childhood…? Sayaka…? _Akira emerged again from the darkness, this time right in front of her. He was dressed all in white, and he never looked more beautiful.

And before Sayaka's eyes, the darkness slowly faded into a stretch of infinite green grass and blue sky. A heavenly sight for her astonished eyes. She saw a figure sitting under a tree, cradling something in her arms. "Oniichan…?" Sayaka murmured. "Who is that…?"

Akira's body floated gracefully around her. His figure was transparent, almost as if he was just a wandering spirit. He extended his hand to her, and smiled gently. "Come with me… Sayaka-chan…" he said softly. 

Sayaka took his hand and followed him closer towards the figure she saw sitting under the big tree. And soon she realized that the figure was a beautiful young tennyo, sitting silently. The face of the tennyo looked familiar, yet Sayaka couldn't make out who it was. In her arms, was a mana that was glowing softly. Somehow Sayaka could feel that both the tennyo and the mana were dying.

"Nee… ojoo-chan…?" Sayaka leaned down towards the pale tennyo. "What's wrong…? Are you all right?" she asked kindly.

The beautiful young tennyo remained silent, almost as if she had not heard Sayaka's voice. A drop of crystal tear rolled down from her gold-tinted eyes.

"Hey…" Sayaka called again softly, walking closer towards her. "What's wrong…?"

"Sayaka…?" Suddenly she heard Yuuhi's voice calling her, and the scene disappeared into darkness. Sayaka opened her eyes, and found herself sitting at the Aogiri house parlor. Stunned by her vivid dream, it took her awhile to finally recover from it. She gasped for breath, still in shock.

"Are you all right?" Yuuhi asked, as he caressed her hair gently and sat down beside her.

She nodded as she tried to regulate her irregular breathing. Yuuhi smiled bitterly. Then he looked away towards the garden. His eyes gazed out blankly in silence.

_Yuuhi… what's in your mind…? _

"How is Tooya…?" she asked softly.

He turned to look at her, quite taken aback at her question. "It will take time for him to recover completely." He mumbled softly. She could almost hear a tone of despair in his voice. "I… couldn't do anything for him…" he said again, as his palm closed into a fist.

But then he felt Sayaka's warm hands around his and enclosed it in hers. Startled, he turned and looked at her. Feeling his despair and helplessness at the moment, slowly, she drew herself closer to him, and enclosed her arms around his broad shoulders. Coiling his arms around her small figure, he pulled her close and closed his eyes. His restless spirit suddenly felt more at ease, and he felt… almost serene.

Sayaka's heart felt as if it had been torn to pieces as she realized that she had caused Yuuhi this much pain. She didn't know why exactly she had picked up that phone and told Mikage Kagami that Aogiri Suzumi is out and guarded by no one, at her father-in-law's home.

_"Yuuhi… that boy… He doesn't need anymore pain…!" _She remembered Suzumi's words in their last encounter.

"Daijobu… Yuuhi…" she said softly, taking his face in her palms and looking into his eyes. "Everything will be all right…"

_Sayaka… _Yuuhi looked into her eyes and smiled. _Only you… can ease my mind… _He leaned closer and rested his forehead on hers. "I love you…" he said softly as he tilted his face closer and kissed her lips.

Parting her lips slowly, she kissed him back and closed her eyes. _But… do I really… love him? _She pulled him closer into her embrace and guided his head to lean on her shoulder. And as she opened her eyes, suddenly her eyes caught a familiar figure standing in the gardens. It was the figure of her brother, Akira.

Akira stood there silently. Then he smiled bitterly. Sayaka couldn't comprehend what was in his eyes… disappointment? Sadness? 

As his figure slowly disappeared from her sight, she could have sworn she heard his voice amidst the cold breeze that suddenly swept the room. _Goodbye… Sayaka-chan…_

_* * *_

_Tennyo…_

_Is it a curse…?_

_Or a gift…?_

Suzumi felt a cold hand brush against hers as the binding straps were released from them. The visor headpiece that enclosed around her eyes was slowly lifted up from her head. And the first person she saw as she opened her eyes was Kagami, standing not too far in front of her, watching her intently as the scientists hovered around to check her vital stats.

"Blood pressure is stable… reflex is normal… She's all good and done for today."

Kagami nodded off to his scientists and they retreated, making way for him. His hands pulled up a wheelchair and motioned Suzumi towards it. "Doozo… Aogiri Suzumi-san." He said coldly.

As she lifted herself up towards the wheelchair, she could feel that there was almost no strength left in her body, as always everytime she did this test. She could no longer remember how many times she had been doing these tests. But she knew that if this kept going, it could most possibly cause her death. She leaned back quietly onto the wheelchair, quite puzzled that Kagami had chosen to wheel her out personally today.

The wheelchair glided smoothly on the perfectly leveled floor. The creaks of the wheels could be heard making a rhythmic squeak every few seconds. She remained silent when she realized that Kagami is not taking her back to her room, but has now stopped in front of the elevator.

"You're very quiet today, Aogiri-san." Kagami's deep voice broke the silence.

She paused before replying to his remark. "I'm not sure I have much to say to you, … Mikage-san."

"Honesty. I like that in a woman." Kagami chuckled in amusement as he pushed the wheelchair into the elevator. Suzumi's eyes caught him pressing his right palm flat on a small blank scanning screen that was on top of the elevator buttons. A violet ray moved downwards, scanning his palm, then, she saw a tennyo crest symbol glowed in it as he removed his hand. Then the elevator hummed to life an started ascending.

"Where are we going?"

He replied to her with silence. The elevator came to a stop and as the door opened, she found herself being wheeled out to an enormous hall, glittering in all its splendor. Suzumi gaped in awe over the masterful artwork that decorated the hall. Then, her quick eyesight caught a glimpse of a round marble table sitting in the middle of the room. It was then that she realized that the vast space before her was a shrine. And the round marble table in the middle, was an altar.

"What is this place…" Suzumi muttered softly, almost afraid of asking in fear of what answer lies beneath the question.

"I wanted to share my vision of the future with you." Kagami said as he walked off past her, treading on the oddly-shaped carvings on the floor that Suzumi couldn't visualize in its entirety. He stopped in the middle of the shrine, and turned around to face her. "This is where the perfect world will begin."

Getting up on her feet with much effort, Suzumi dragged herself unsteadily across the room. She looked up and saw that the ceiling was lined entirely by a mirror that reflected whatever is underneath it. As Kagami pushed a switch that was in his hand, Suzumi's eyes widened as she saw the violet glow emitting from underneath her foot. And reflected from the mirror above her head, she could now see clearly what the carvings on the floor were.

The tennyo crest.

"The four perfect manas will merge their power in this shrine and break open a dimensional gate." Kagami said, his eyes gleaming lustfully at the ideal idea of his perfect world. "The world will no longer be what it is. We will be united… with heaven."

Kagami's words felt as if it had struck a sweeping blow onto Suzumi's knees. Her body sunk, collapsing towards the floor, but to her surprise, Kagami's arms were fast in enclosing around her, holding her back up.

"You're… insane…" Suzumi uttered with a look of horror on her face. "Why… are you telling me all this?"

Kagami's arm coiled tighter around her body, and then he smiled. "Aogiri-san… I'm offering you a chance to be with me when this world becomes reality." He replied, and then paused. "Tennyo…" Kagami's voice hissed softly as he edged his face closer towards Suzumi's. 

Breaking away from his grip, Suzumi slammed towards the glass window, shaking her head vigorously. "The world will come to a tragic end, Mikage! Is that what you call an ideal world?"

Kagami's eyes suddenly gleamed in a strange glow. He was silent for a moment upon her blatant rejection over him. Despite the obvious frustration reflected on his face, somehow he managed to keep his regal figure calm and composed. "Tell me, Suzumi-san…" he started to speak again. "Am I a perfect man?"

Suzumi's eyes glowed in the hue of gold as Kagami's question was tossed at the tennyo self inside her. She replied only with silence, and a fierce gaze in the silent moment.

"AM I NOT A PERFECT MAN!?" Kagami roared at her, slamming both his fists onto the thick glass window, locking her around his arms.

"Physical and genetic perfection is not enough, Mikage-san." Suzumi answered coldly. "A perfect heart makes a perfect man, in which you possess no such thing."

At those words, Kagami's sanity popped. He grabbed onto her wrists and slammed her onto the floor. Horrified, Suzumi screamed as hard as she could, only to find her screams muffled by Kagami's mouth on hers. Completely taken by shock, she sunk her teeth onto his lip and tasted blood.

Kagami pulled back as the sting of Suzumi's bite had made him bleed. "A perfect heart, eh? I'll show you what kind of a heart I have!" he hissed as he pinned her down on the floor and forced her legs open with his knees.

_No! _Suzumi felt Kagami's palm choking her mouth. She closed her eyes, and felt everything around her spinning. She has no more strength to fight him. As the pain thrusted again and again into her, tears rolled from her eyes, as she saw her husband's face, looking at her. _Kazuma-san…_

_Kazuma-san…_

* * *

Running through the Mikage building's hallways, Sayaka's heart was pounding hard. Not in anything else but fear. _Oniichan… what's happening to you…? _That was twice she had seen her brother appeared before her eyes in a surreal form. All this time she had held on to the hope that her brother will return to her… that her life will be back to normal, to what it used to. She stormed towards Kagami's room, ignoring the assistant who tried to stop her.

"Where is she!?" Sayaka stormed through the door. "Where is Freya?!"

"My, my, what a fiery temper you have…" the back of the big chair that was facing Sayaka turned around and revealed Freya sitting there with a smile across her face. "How can I help you today, little Sayaka?"

"You promised you'll give me my brother back! You PROMISED!" Sayaka screamed.

Freya stood up, and walked towards Sayaka. "Is there a problem, my dear?" she asked softly.

"Hmmm…" Suddenly Mikage Shiso appeared from behind her. He swung lightly around Sayaka, looking at her intently. Sayaka's eyes was now fixed upon the being whom she used to know as her brother. But now… he is now… "Such a beautiful face as yours should not reflect such agony." Mikage smiled and touched Sayaka's face gently.

Sayaka tilted her face away from his hand. "What have you done to Akira? What have you done to my brother?"

Freya smiled and walked towards Mikage and Sayaka. "Shall we tell her?" she asked as she leaned on Mikage's shoulder, gazing at him with sleepy eyes. 

"Tell me what…?" Sayaka asked, her heart beating harder as she heard Freya's mischievous remark.

"Or…" Freya said as she floated up into the air playfully. "Let's have her do one more thing for us… yes… you'd do that for us, won't you, sweet Sayaka?"

"For your Akira…?"

* * *

Alec watched silently as the scientists zipped up the body bag with another C-Genoma subject that failed to sustain her life. As they wheeled the body away, Alec was left in silence. His fists trembled at the realization of how many of the C-Genoma had died ever since the Project started. The one he just saw was the twenty-second. 

_"Kagami-san! You must stop this! Eighty percent of the C-Genomas have died… and the rest are not showing signs that they will sustain more testing!" Alec had yelled at Kagami as he slapped the report onto Kagami's desk earlier. "You must stop… killing all these innocent women!"_

_But Kagami remained silent, as he flipped through the pages of Alec's report. "And what of Aogiri Suzumi…?" he finally asked._

_"She… she's stronger… than regular C-Genomas. Aogiri Suzumi… is most definitely a type A as well." Alec said. "But… her vitality is dropping as well! She will die just like the rest of them if you don't stop!"_

_"And her mana?" Kagami asked again._

_"Kagami-san!"_

_"Her mana… Alec! What's the status on that?"_

_Alec paused for a moment, then finally replied heavy-heartedly. "Ninety… one percent… complete…"_

_"Make sure she lives through its completion." Kagami replied coldly, dropping the report back on his desk, then got up and exited the room._

Alec walked through the hallways, staring blankly into the air. _I can't… live… like this…_ He felt his head spinning. _My sins… are unforgivable… _Then, as he felt his head started to spin more and more, and nausea creeping up his stomach, he ran out towards the nearest exit door and dashed towards the roof for some fresh air. He dropped down and leaned back on the railings that faced the cityscape of Tokyo.

Feeling a little bit more refreshed, Alec got up and turned around. His eyes looking at the beautiful city, glimmering in all its splendor upon the glamorous sunset. Then, it all suddenly boiled down into one thought. _No one has to die anymore… _He thought, as his hands grabbed on the railings all of a sudden. _I will atone for my sins… with my life… _Then with determination, he climbed up onto the railings, and gazed down below towards what looked like an endless fall unto shattering pieces. He could hear the echoes of the cars honking down below. And the breeze howling at his ears.

"Kami-sama…" Alec closed his eyes and prayed softly. "Please forgive me…"

As he released his balance into a fall, suddenly he felt two little hands grabbed onto him and pulled him back. Instead of falling down towards the concrete, he crashed back onto the building.

"What do you think you're doing, Dr. O'Howell!?" Sayaka grasped onto his collar, shaking him vigorously, her eyes wide in panic.

Startled at who had stopped him from his ultimate freedom, he pushed her away and scampered back towards the railings. "Sa… Sayaka…!" Alec exclaimed. "You don't understand! Just… let me die and this will all be over!"

"Baka!!!" Sayaka yelled with tears in her eyes. "How could you even think of doing this? Do you think it will all be over just because you're gone?!"

"Because of my weakness… it's all because of my weakness… I can't fight Kagami… I'm a useless weakling…" Alec's words turned into soft sobs, and he started shaking like a frightened child. "And they all died… because of me… My hands… are evildoers…" Then he buried his face on his knees.

Sayaka looked at the kind doctor. She crawled closer towards him and touched his shoulder. "Who was it that always stood up for me against Kagami…? Who was it that always cared for me and my well-being…? Are you going to leave me all alone now in this madness…?" she said softly, taking both his hands in hers. "It's my hands that are stained with sins and betrayal… but these hands, your hands… possess the power of goodness in them… they are not evildoers…!"

"Don't give up… don't give up yet, Dr. O'Howell… onegai…" she said softly, as she looked into his eyes with tear-welled eyes. "Just as I won't ever give up for my brother… for Akira…!"

Alec stared speechlessly at the person in which he only knew as his C-Genoma subject. A seemingly weak and quiet girl, but yet she possesses such a strong will and belief in her. As he felt Sayaka hug him, he took her in his arms. "I won't give up… I won't give up for you, Sayaka… I promise…"

* * *

Sayaka sat alone inside the living room of the Aogiri house. It was hours past sunset, and it was now dark outside. Her body felt weak, after enduring another test that brought her one step closer to the completion of her cloning. She sighed softly and her mind reverted back to her conversation she had with Kagami earlier in the day.

_"Sayaka." Kagami said coldly, as he stood in front of the elevator door that had just parted open.._

_"Kagami-san…" Sayaka answered his cold greet. "You wanted to see me?" She said as she walked out of the elevator, brushing past Kagami's arms and avoiding his eyes._

_"Congratulations." Kagami smiled. "Your mana is one step away from completion."_

_Sayaka kept her silence and leaned forward towards the glass window. One more step towards my freedom…_

_"How is he?" he asked, suddenly appearing beside her. His question was referring to Yuuhi._

_Sayaka turned around. She looked like she was going to say something, but then she hesitated._

_"Don't be foolish and naïve, Sayaka. Falling in love with him will bring you nothing but sadness in the end. Think of your brother." Kagami said, touching her shoulder and guiding her towards his office. "We have some matters to discuss… here's what we want you to do next…"_

Sayaka stared into the wall in her silence. Her inner self was struggling with one another of each side. _I can't do this… but… _She grasped on her skull in frustration. _Kami-sama… help me…_ After a long struggle in silence, she finally opened her eyes. Reflecting a blank stare in her azure-green eyes, she stood up and walked out silently.

…

Setting down the teapot on the table, Sayaka remained silent. Her eyes moved towards Aya, who was finally smiling again after days of nothing but tears. Tooya, who is still in the state of recovery, sat silently, pampered by Aya. 

Silently, Tooya noticed the odd glow in her eyes. "Sayaka… how are you?" he asked kindly.

Startled by his sudden question, Sayaka almost spilled the tea on the table. But her hands quickly regained its hold steadily on the cup she was holding, and she set it down gently on the table. "Aa… heeki heeki…!" Sayaka replied. "Tooya-san wa?"

"I suppose I'll manage…" Tooya replied.

Sayaka smiled, but it was a bitter smile. As she set the cups towards Tooya, and another one for Aya, she turned to look towards the other side of the room, where Yuuhi had been sitting by the window silently, staring out into the night. She poured another cup of tea, and held it in her hands for a moment, gazing into it intently. Then she finally stood up and went towards him.

"Yuuhi…" she said softly as she set the cup in his hand and touched his head gently.

Yuuhi turned to look at her, and smiled faintly, as if he was trying to let her know that he'll be fine. 

_Something is wrong with her… I wonder… if her brother… _Tooya thought. "Sayaka… your brother…" Tooya suddenly said, looking at Sayaka. 

Sayaka turned abruptly in shock at the mention of her brother. So did Yuuhi. "Oniichan…?"

"When I fell from that building… I saw your brother… and he spoke to me…" Tooya said. "He showed me things I couldn't understand… I was hoping you could…" but before he could finish his words, suddenly Aya collapsed onto the floor, interrupting his words.

"Aya!"

"Oi! Aya!!!" Yuuhi exclaimed, getting up went towards her. He took her body in his arms and started shaking Aya vigorously. "Aya! What's wrong!? Aya!!!" he yelled repetitively. But then as he was engrossed in Aya's condition, he didn't notice Tooya until he suddenly collapsed as well in front of him.

He turned abruptly to Sayaka. She had gotten up from where she was, and is staring down at him. He couldn't comprehend the look in her eyes. It looked like a cold stare… or… sadness. "Sayaka…!" he exclaimed. But then, a sudden heaviness descended upon his head, and his vision started to blur, and he collapsed face down onto the floor.

"Yuuhi…" Sayaka muttered with trembling voice. "I'm sorry…"

Still conscious, Yuuhi looked up with the last ounce of strength he has. He could only see Sayaka's figure in a blur, but the bitter truth had sank into his knowledge, and it was almost like he heard something broke deep within. His heart. _No… it's not true…! Sayaka… would not… betray… me… _He reached out his hand to touch her feet, but she stepped back away from him, until finally, he lost consciousness completely.

With trembling hands, Sayaka extracted a cellphone and dialed a number. "It's… done…" she said into the phone. And within minutes, an group of men broke into the house and filled the dining room area. 

Kagami walked in after them, followed by Wei. Kagami smiled victoriously at Sayaka. "Good work. For a moment there I almost doubted you." He said. "Take Ceres. Leave the two." Kagami ordered as he used his foot to flip Yuuhi's motionless body around. "And get the child."

As she saw Wei proceeded towards the hallway and returned with a crying baby in his arms, her heart broke into pieces. She sunk on her knees by Yuuhi. Her fingers touch his head gently and ran her fingers in his hair.  _I do… love you… Yuuhi… _

_But now…_

_… it's all over…_

"Sayaka." Kagami called out to her. Then he casually tossed a handgun towards her. It clattered as it slid by her hand. "Finish the job." He said calmly, then proceeded out of the house.

Sayaka looked at the gun by her hand. Then she looked at Yuuhi's motionless body. _If I do this… Oniichan… will finally be free… _She reached out towards it and held it point blank on Yuuhi's head with trembling hands. Closing her eyes, the images of her brother fleeted in front of her. The laughter and tears shared with her one and only Akira. The way his eyes would look at her with so much love everytime she walked in the door, his smile, his dazzling green eyes…

But then, Yuuhi appeared in her vision. And all the memories flashed back before her eyes since the first time she saw him at the station, she had always loved the honesty and clarity reflected in his eyes. His full-hearted laugh, and his kind smile.

Her head started spinning, and she closed her eyes and pulled the trigger.

As the gunshot echoed in the darkness, breaking the silence, Kagami turned around. And he waited patiently. Soon, he saw Sayaka's figure emerge from the interior of the house. As she walked towards him, she dropped the gun that was still in her hand.

Kagami smiled, and put his arm around her as he guided her away.

"Good work, Sayaka." Kagami said softly. "I knew you would come through."  
  
  
  
  
Sayaka's eyes were blank, as if no soul lived in her anymore. And she walked off into the darkness with Kagami.  
  
  
  
  
_Yuuhi..._

====================================================================================

to be continued…


	6. Chapter Six

His head felt as if it now weighed a ton. Not only that, it was spinning. The whole world is spinning. Lifting open his eyelids, Yuuhi saw the ceiling. _What happened…? _He tried to recall what happened. As he sat up, his still weak body gave way, and he toppled down to the floor again face down. His eyes were now gazing right into a bullet that lay planted on the floor, right next to where his head had been.

"Ao…giri…" He heard Tooya's weak voice calling him. He turned around, and saw Tooya struggling to get up. It was then that it all returned to him. A quiet night turned into the end of his world. The enemy had won. Not only do they have his sister, they also have Aya…

Ceres…

And his Sayaka, was their accomplice.

"Are you all right, Aogiri…?" Tooya asked as he held his spinning head, wincing one eye.

Yuuhi couldn't answer him. His eyes were staring blank. They were seeing the last images that were as though burned right through at the back of his eyes as a permanent photographic memory. The sight of Sayaka stepping back away from him as he reached out for her. His fingers trembled as his nails clawed onto the floor in disbelief. He _truly _loved her. Just as he thought he found someone…

"Aki…" Tooya suddenly remembered his child. He managed to stand up after a lot of effort, and with an unsteady pace, walked out of the room towards his daughter's crib.

_No… _Yuuhi was almost afraid to get up to follow Tooya. _Not Aki too… _He pushed himself to stand up and took his steps towards where Tooya had walked to. Stepping into the room, he saw Tooya kneeling on the floor, with his trembling hands grasping onto the frames of an empty crib.

"Tooya…" As Yuuhi called his friend's name, he turned around. Yuuhi could see the clear green eyes welling up with tears of despair. This was the first time ever he had seen Tooya shed tears. He knew how much Tooya loved his child. And this plague happened…

The plague of betrayal that Yuuhi had brought into his own home.

This was too much for Yuuhi.

His love was over.

His life was over.

His lips parted, and inaudible mumblings escape softly. Until it finally unleashed out as a roar of agony.

* * *

Finding herself once again surrounded in the familiar mirage of her vivid dream, Sayaka once again found herself enclosed in a dark vacuum.

"Oniichan!!!" she screamed, remembering that this was where a vision of Akira had appeared to her. "Are you here? Oniichan!"

"… Onegai… Oniichan…"

Then she heard soft echoes of muffled sobs around her. Turning around, she saw the tennyo that she once saw in her previous vivid dream, sitting silently in the darkness. She looked even thinner and paler this time. Sayaka opened her mouth, but no voice could escape her lips, as though she was trapped in a vacuum where no sound could travel. She called and called out to the tennyo, but even she could not hear her own voice.

Sayaka's eyes examined her face. She looked so… familiar. And something in her that Sayaka could sense something that felt almost… belonging.

_Death… yes… that is what I want… _Sayaka could hear her thoughts. _This heart had been robbed of its happiness… forever. I will never love another… and if I can't have you… then let me…_

_…die…_

But the mana that was in her arms started glowing, and it lifted from her embrace and floated in midair. As it glowed brighter in its violet hue, then suddenly, Sayaka could see an invisible force from the mana taking hold of the tennyo, and then a transparent figure lifted up from her body, as though separating from her, and was absorbed by the mana.

_What was that? _Sayaka thought, confused. She couldn't understand what she was seeing. Why does this vision she does not understand keep manifesting itself to her? What connection is it to herself? The mana lifted up higher, and higher, further away from the tennyo. The tennyo herself, collapsed, as though she had just lost her entire life force.

Sayaka looked at her. She wanted to go to her, and help her, but she couldn't move, nor could she speak, still. _Is she dead…? _But then the tennyo moved. She wasn't dead. But there was a strange gleam in her eyes that wasn't there before. Something almost… evil. Then her lips parted, and came out the words that immensely shocked Sayaka.

"Mi…ka…ge…" 

* * *

Aya opened her eyes, and found herself lying on a cold floor. _Where am I? _As she looked around, trying to find a clue, suddenly the wall on one corner parted from the floor and ascended up, revealing a glass barrier that led her to see through towards the next room. Behind the glass barrier stood several familiar figures she never thought she'd live to see again… so soon.

Her cousin Kagami, who had returned from the dead.

And… the face of her brother, Aki. But no, that isn't Aki. _Miyashita Akira… _Aya realized who it was. But then she recognized the gleam in his eyes. The eyes she saw in Aki when he had been possessed by Mikage Shiso. Yes, that is indeed Mikage Shiso himself.

"Hisashiburi, Aya-chan." Kagami greeted her with a smile on his face.

Then, another figure emerged between Kagami and Mikage Shiso. Someone unfamiliar, but Aya immediately knew who it was. And slowly, she felt a force overtaking her consciousness, and her surroundings went into pitch black darkness.

Ceres now stood there, taking over Aya's consciousness the moment Freya showed up. They were separated by the bulletproof glass barrier. Ceres' eyes gleamed in anger at Freya. As does Freya's eyes gleamed with hatred towards her. Ceres lifted up her palm and gathered her tennyo chi into an attack sphere. As the force gathered atop her palm, Freya chuckled.

"It's useless, Ceres." Freya mocked. "Save your energy. This glass is strong enough to withheld tennyo forces." She said again, then, she turned towards the people around the room. "Leave us." Freya commanded briefly to everyone in the room to leave.

Kagami smirked, and stepped away to exit the room. Mikage Shiso, however, stood there unmoving for a moment. There was an odd gleam in his eyes that appeared the moment Ceres emerged out of Aya. His eyes looked as if he was trying to remember something. Something he had felt for Ceres.

Ceres' let the her chi dissolve and she went closer towards the glass. "Mikage!" Ceres called, pressing herself on the glass barrier right in front of Mikage. She was shocked, seeing that her husband had taken a new form. A human form. "What is this? Whose body have you possessed!?" she exclaimed. Then she remembered Sayaka, and the brother whom she had heard looked exactly like Aki. Suddenly it all made sense to Ceres. She stared in horror at the two figures in front of her. "Please… come back to your senses!!!" she pounded on the glass in her desperation to bring her beloved Mikage back to her.

Freya inched closer to Mikage and kissed his cheek. Then she placed her palm on his chest, and Ceres could see something glowing within. Mikage closed his eyes as the force within him took over his mind, and Ceres' eyes stared in disbelief when she saw the glow morph into a familiar form. She could see a mana inside the human body.

The mana seeemed to be the power behind Mikage's possession. As it glowed, she could see a violet glow extend out and enclose around Mikage. When he opened his eyes again, there was blankness in his stare. He lifted up his hand and pointed his finger towards Ceres. "Ceres…" he hissed maliciously. "Die…"

Ceres' eyes widened in shock and disbelief at what she's seeing, and what she's hearing. She was left speechless as she watched Mikage turn his back around and walked away. "Do you really want him that much, Freya?" Ceres hissed at her nemesis. "Do you really think that you've secured his love this way? He is merely a mindless puppet under your evil spell. That is not love!"

Came to her reply was a mocking laugh from Freya. "All I want is to make you suffer, Ceres." Freya smiled. "I have taken him away from you and that appeases my soul. You shall taste the agony of my pain millenia after millenia. You now know how it feels to have someone you love taken away from you…" She smiled victoriously.

"The boy Mikage possessed…" Ceres said, stepping back from the glass. "What will become of him?"

"That boy Akira?" Freya asked. "And his poor little sister Sayaka. Or at least that's what they _think _they are…" she suddenly broke into a laugh, an amused laugh. "So Ceres… Would you be interested in hearing the truth of what they really are?"

* * *

_Mikage?_

Before she could think of another thought, the tennyo disappeared. And the mana that had drifted away returned to visibility. It descended slowly in the pitch black darkness. Sayaka could see the transparent figure that was of the tennyo trapped inside its violet spheric frame. Then the mana's glow faded.

There was just silence.

_Why am I seeing all this? _Sayaka struggled to move but couldn't. _If this is a dream I want to wake up! Kami-sama! Help me, please!_

But then the mana suddenly flashed brightly, and the trapped life force inside it crept out and enclosed around the mana. Sayaka squinted as the brightness was too blinding for her eyes. The mana flashed brightly, and electrifying force surrounded it, mixed by the flashing hues of silver and violet. Something is happening. But what?

When it finally stopped, Sayaka opened her eyes again. The glow subsided, and to her surprise, she saw two little children cuddled in each other's arms beneath the glow. A boy, and a girl. And inside the boy's chest, Sayaka could see the mana glowing softly. 

Sayaka's eyes slowly regained its clarity, and she recognized who they were.

_What… what is the meaning of this!? _

* * *

Tomonori sipped the steaming tea from the cup silently. His face was ashen. The room was quiet. The TV screen had blanked out and it now displays nothing but a blank infinite gray matter. He heard a beeping sound, and his eyes caught Tooya's hand pressing the eject button on a remote control and the DVD player hummed as it ejected its disc compartment out.

Tooya walked over to the device and picked up the unlabeled disc in his fingers. As he stared at it for awhile, then suddenly a crimson glow enclosed around it from his hand and the disc shattered into a million pieces and dissolved into air.

"Tooya…" Tomonori stood up at Tooya's sudden display of emotional outburst.

_Kuso… _Tooya cursed to himself as he slammed his fist onto the wall. He was now faced with a lose-lose situation at hand. The DVD that arrived in the Aogiri mailbox had shown him all the faces of his enemies. Mikage Shiso, Freya, and Mikage Kagami. It had shown him their evil plan; their hostages Suzumi, Aya, and his daughter Aki; and finally… their demands, for him to surrender Ceres' mana. Or else…

_Or else they will all die… _Tooya grimaced in frustration. _But if I let them have Ceres' mana… what do they want with Ceres' mana…?_

He felt Tomonori's hand grip his shoulder lightly. He turned, and saw his determined face. "Tooya…" Tomonori started speaking. "I am a powerless man. Even compared to Yuuhi, I'm weak. A mere mortal with no strength to contribute. But I can give you my strong faith. I believe in you, Tooya. You've defeated all this once. You will defeat this evil again." He said, his grip tightened on Tooya's shoulder. "And bring back Suzumi-san… to us."

"For Yuuhi's sake."

Tooya's eyes widened. "Yuuhi…" he repeated. "How is he…?"

As Tomonori shook his head, Tooya pulled himself away and stormed out of the room. He entered Yuuhi's room with fiery steps, finding Yuuhi lying on his bed, his eyes staring blank. The food that Kyuu-chan had brought for him lay there on the table, untouched.

"Nani atten da, Yuuhi!?" Tooya exclaimed.

"Just leave me alone," Came Yuuhi's lifeless reply as he turned his back towards Tooya. "No more… Tooya… I can't do this anymore…"

Tomonori arrived in front of the door just in time to catch sight of Tooya grabbing Yuuhi by his collar and pulling him up to face him. "That's enough moping around already, Aogiri!" Tooya exclaimed as he gripped Yuuhi by his collar.

"Let… go…" Yuuhi murmured. "It's all over Tooya! We'll never win!"

Tooya's eyes widened in shock as he heard Yuuhi's words. He promptly released Yuuhi, but then swung his fist and landed a hard punch right on Yuuhi's right cheek. Yuuhi slammed onto the floor from the impact of Tooya's powerful punch. Rubbing his cheek, he glared at Tooya. Yuuhi was **not **in a very good mood. And obviously Tooya has recovered completely, in that case…

_BAM! _Yuuhi lunged a punch back at Tooya, hitting him right on his nose. Tooya's body toppled backwards and knocked right into Tomonori. Before Tomonori could even react, Tooya already lunged back up, and the dagger appeared in his hand.

"TOOYA!!!" Tomonori yelled in horror.

Yuuhi clasped both his palms to stop the dagger's point into stabbing right onto in between his eyes. As the violet glow extended out of Yuuhi's hand and merged with the red glow from Tooya's dagger, they created an electrical current that enclose around them, creating a barrier. Tomonori stepped backwards away from them.

"What the hell, Tooya!?" Yuuhi roared as he tried to push Tooya's dagger away from him.

"Are you giving up already so easily?!" Tooya roared back at Yuuhi. "Where is the Aogiri Yuuhi I know?! The man who won't give up hope, whose hands I will trust Aya and Aki into when the time comes?! Where is he, YUUHI!?"

Tooya's words suddenly struck an awakening inside of Yuuhi. _What the hell am I doing? _Then suddenly, the electrical current blasted into a mild explosion between them. Both Yuuhi and Tooya leaped backwards and landed at a distance across each other. The dust and the smoke settled, and they stood silently in their stance.

Tooya could see the fire once again flickering in Yuuhi's eyes. _Good… _He thought to himself. Then he lifted his hand up in the air, and the dagger dissolved back into his flesh.

"Tooya…"

"I need you to believe in me, Aogiri, just as I've always believed in you." Tooya said calmly, his eyes glimmering with determination. "We've defeated this evil once. And although Mikage maybe stronger now, but if we do this together…"

"…We can win this again… and take back onee-sama… Aya… Aki…" Yuuhi continued his sentence.

"And Sayaka." Tooya added.

At the mention of her name, Yuuhi's face changed. His expression turn into something that seemed… wounded. He didn't respond to Tooya's remark, but turned towards his brother instead. "Aniki… can you make the arrangements for weapons and several men?"

"Consider it done."

* * *

When Sayaka regained consciousness, she found herself lying on the floor inside a white-walled room. _The containment chamber…? Why am I here? What happened…? _She heard a voice humming softly nearby. Struggling to get up, she turned around and saw Suzumi sitting against a wall. Her eyes were closed, and she looked extremely pale. But there was a faint smile on her face, and her lips moved slowly as she hummed an indistinct tune.

"Suzumi-san…" Sayaka murmured softly. She was confused. Why is she here? Why is Suzumi here? What had happened? The images slowly returned to her memory. The first thing she remembered was seeing the mana enclosed in a large glass tube container in the laboratory. The mana she had constructed this whole time that is nearing its completion.

_"Doctor O'Howell… sore wa…" Sayaka muttered in disbelief as she was led into the laboratory to do her final test and saw the mana. This was the first time she had seen her mana._

_Alec nodded silently. But his face look troubled. Sayaka couldn't understand why. _

_Looking at the mana, she knew she was nearing the point of her freedom… of getting her brother back, and…_

_But she had hurt Yuuhi in the process. She had taken his love and… betrayed him. The thought was just unbearable. She had realized that maybe… she loved Yuuhi more than she loved Akira. But she can't abandon her brother just like that. She felt like she was cornered by a starving tiger at the edge of a cliff. She had nowhere to go. _

_"You did well, Sayaka." Freya's voice was heard echoing around the room._

_Alec took Sayaka's hand and led her to her seat. As Sayaka stepped to follow him, suddenly something in her heart rebelled. She shook her hand off Alec's grip. "No!" she turned to look up at Freya, who is standing next to Kagami in the control room. "I have done everything you wanted me to… but I won't do anymore for you until you return my brother back to me…!"_

_Freya smirked. "Silly girl." She mocked. "All this time you really believed that you will get your 'Akira' back? Even if I wanted to give him back, I'm afraid it's all too late now…" Freya said as she flashed a pitiful look towards Sayaka._

_Sayaka froze in horror. "No! What do you mean?"_

_Freya's figure suddenly disappeared from where she was standing and appeared in front of Sayaka. "My poor little naïve Sayaka… I know the reality is so harsh for you to grasp, but sadly, it's the only truth."_

Those dreams!_ Sayaka thought suddenly. _Could they be…__

_"You may think them as 'dreams', Sayaka. But they're not. They are your memories. Memories that I have sealed away with my spell. The seal has weakened, and that is why you are seeing them as dreams you couldn't understand."_

_"You're lying…" Sayaka gritted her teeth in anger. "I have my memories… memories of my family; my father, mother, and Akira…!"_

_"Ah yes… the mirage I implanted to replace your sealed memory." Freya said. "Can you honestly tell me that you believe all that to be your true memory, Sayaka? Tell me that you truly remembered who your parents are… what they looked like… what it feels like to be held in your father's arms… or if your mother sang you to sleep at nights when you were little…?"_

_And slowly, it started to sink in, that what Freya said… are true. The more Sayaka tried to remember her childhood, and her parents, the more she couldn't remember. As if none of it had ever happened. She looked up at Freya with tear-filled eyes. "And… Akira… what about Akira…?"_

_"I'll tell you a story, Sayaka…" Freya started to speak after a long pause at Sayaka's question. "A story of a tennyo who fell in love with the man she could never have. For millenias long, she sat under a cherry tree in heaven, weeping over the man she loved. And she grew weaker, and weaker… and she was dying from her grief." As Freya spoke, she lifted up her palm and a violet glowing orb emerged on her palm. Inside it, Sayaka could see the images of the story she was telling. And as she looked closer, she saw that the tennyo Freya was telling her about, was the same tennyo she saw in her dreams._

_"Five thousand years long, she shed tears filled with her unrequited love, shedding her life force along with it little by little. All those life force, love and true feelings were absorbed by her mana as she cradled it in her arms every single day. Until finally, at the point of death, her mana reacted to save her." The orb on Freya's hands showed a glowing mana. "It separated from the dying tennyo, taking with it the dying part of her soul far, far away. Taking all the emotions of love and tears of the tennyo inside it, the mana understood her wish and desires, and regenerated her dying soul… and gave her a human body. And as a gift, it also created for her a mirror image of the man she loved." By now, Sayaka had seen all the same images she saw in her dream. The images she couldn't understand were now being disclosed of its mystery._

_"That tennyo, who couldn't have the man she loved… was me…" Freya said, and paused, as her golden eyes flickered. Then she continued to say what had immensely shocked Sayaka. "And the dying soul that separated from her… became you…"_

_"And Akira… is nothing but a soul-less vessel that my mana had created and breathed life into, for you, to nourish your soul with his love." Freya smiled. "How coincidental it was that I needed such a vessel for my dear Mikage… and upon discovering you both in your child form, I sealed your memory away and implanted a false mirage around you."_

_There was silence then, as Sayaka could not react to the shocking revelation that had just been disclosed to her. _Lies… these are all just lies… aren't they?_ The tears that were brimming in Sayaka's eyes slowly dripped across her cheek. "Why did you do all this to us…?"_

_"Simple. Five thousand years of your moping and crying bored me to death."_

_At those heartless words, Sayaka was enraged. _This woman is… is… a devil!_ A glow enclosed around Sayaka as her eyes turned gold and her hair extended out to a violet bluish hue._

_"Silly little Sayaka…" Freya hissed. "Do you really think you could win against me?" Freya lifted up her hand and the violet glowing orb appeared again in her hand, this time it was crackling with electrifying force. Then it shot out towards Sayaka and enclosed around her whole body, electrocuting her to a point of helplessness. Locked in, unable to move, and having her strength sapped out, Sayaka was left powerless._

_"Sedate her, and lock her up." Came Freya's command._

_This is all a bad dream… _Sayaka thought as she remembered what had happened, what Freya had told her. But then she shook off her thoughts as she saw Suzumi. _She's weak… _Sayaka approached Suzumi and reached out to touch Suzumi's hand.

At the touch of Sayaka's hand, Suzumi opened her eyes. She smiled faintly, and continued to hum softly.

"Suzumi-san…" Sayaka called. 

"Sayaka…" Suzumi said softly. "Will you… watch Yuuhi for me… when I'm gone…?"

"Suzumi-san! What are you talking about?"

She took a deep breath. "I don't know if I have the strength to go on…" her voice dropped to the faintest whisper. "I don't know if I could survive another test…"

"But you have to!!! Suzumi-san!" she exclaimed as she grasped onto Suzumi's shoulders. "You said Yuuhi was all you had in this world… you are also the only one Yuuhi has in this world! You have to live through this for him!"

"Hope is all I have now… my body may not be able to sustain my hopes and my spirit…" Suzumi replied.

"Hope is all we need… Suzumi-san…"

Before Suzumi could answer, suddenly they heard the door clicked open. And Alec O'Howell entered the room, with a still smoky-barrelled gun in his hand. Behind him, they could see the body of the guard slumped on the floor.

"Let's go!" Alec exclaimed, as he ran to approach Suzumi. "I'll take you both out of here!"

"Doctor O'Howell…" Sayaka murmured in surprise. _Yes… hope is all we need… _"But what about Aya…? And Aki?"

"Their cells are contained with maximum security… it's impossible to break them out without getting caught… I'm going to take this only chance to take you both out of here."

"No…" she said. "I'm too weak… I will only slow you down… if we're caught, all hopes will be lost." She said, as she looked at both Alec and Sayaka. Then she grasped on Sayaka's arm. "You must escape… they must not… have your mana completed…"

"Suzumi-san, don't be ridiculous! I won't leave you here!"

"Please, Sayaka!" Suzumi's eyes suddenly retained back the last of her spirit. "All my hopes are in you now… this is your only chance to escape, and our only chance of any possibility to defeat all this evil…" As her grip loosened, she lifted her hand and touched Sayaka's cheek. "You have a strong spirit… and this is why Yuuhi loves you so much… just as he had loved Aya…"

Her words wrenched Sayaka's heart. "But I… had betrayed… his love…"

"If you truly loved each other… nothing else will matter…"

"Sayaka… we don't have time for this…" Alec interrupted, pulling on Sayaka's hand.

"Go." Suzumi said, her tears brimming in her eyes as she watched Sayaka and Alec pull away from her. She slumped back to the wall, feeling her life thinning at every ticking second. Slowly, she placed her palm on top of her belly. _Kami-sama… please forgive me… _She prayed silently. _But this evil seed inside me… must not flourish to life… _Her palm started to emit a soft glow. Then there was blood leaking out from between her legs.  

* * *

Alec led Sayaka creeping up silently along the hallways, avoiding any guards on duty, until they finally reached the elevator that will lead them down. Alec took out his card, and swiped it on the card reader. The elevator hummed to life and started descending down. Both of them watched the floor counter anxiously as it descended from the fiftieth floor. Twenty… nineteen… eighteen… seventeen… this was all going all too smoothly. Then suddenly, it stopped and an alarm sounded. The bright lights went off and was replaced by a blinking red light.

"Code red. C-Genoma main subject has escaped. All personnels proceed to all exits. Sealing doors in T minus ten… nine… eight…" The computer announced.

"Shimatta!" Alec cursed. 

"Stand back…" Sayaka said softly and placed her hands on the elevator door. As the glow extended out, suddenly the door was forced open. The elevator had stopped in the middle of floors seven and eight, its floor and ceiling stuck in the middle of the door.

Alec leaned down and slipped himself underneath to jump down to the seventh floor. "Come on!" Alec exclaimed as he held out both his hands to catch Sayaka as she jumped off the elevator. Then they started running towards the stairwell. The door was locked by an automatic lock, but of course it was no problem as Sayaka managed to blast it off the wall.

_Can we really make it out of here alive…? _The thoughts ran wildly in Sayaka's head. _Yuuhi…!_

They ran round and round the stairwell, descending floor by floor, until they finally reached the ground floor. Upon exiting the stairwell, they found themselves greeted by a band of guards, armed and ready to shoot. Wei stepped up and he flicked his chain whip with a smirk on his face. "Going somewhere, Doctor O'Howell?"

* * *

Yuuhi sat alone silently at the parlor, staring at the garden, now wet with the pouring rain. It was almost dawn, yet the sky was dark, showing no signs of the sun due to the thick dark clouds.  He couldn't sleep, just as he haven't been able to for days. 

It was cold, wintry, rainy night. Yuuhi could see the mist forming in the air from his mouth as he breathed in and out. He clutched the robe he was wearing tighter to cover his neck. _Tomorrow night… _He thought to himself. They had set the plan to infiltrate Mikage International tomorrow night. Tomonori and his father had helped arrange all the necessary needs of transportation and weaponry that might be needed, even an expert at such missions to lead through the passages.

_It will all be over tomorrow…_

He stood up from where he was sitting and made his way back into the interior of the house. But then, just as the lightning flashed, he could see a shadow standing still amidst the large trees. In reflex, he pulled out his chopsticks, ready for anyone, or anything. But when he saw who it was that emerged out, he froze in shock and his hand released its grip on his weapon. The chopsticks clattered onto the wooden floor and rolled towards the door.

"Yuuhi…" Sayaka called out softly, standing in the rain. She was soaked wet from head to toe from the freezing rain. Parts of her clothes were torn, and there were bruises and scratches all over her arms and legs. And blood dripping from her temples.

At the mere sight of her, Yuuhi suddenly forgotten instantly of how much she had hurt him. He stepped up without thinking, but then as he was close enough, he saw the gun in her hand. All the pain returned and he stopped his steps.

They stood there silently for a while, drenched by the freezing downpour. Yuuhi stared down at her with nothing but coldness in his eyes. Seeing his eyes, Sayaka reached out, to Yuuhi's surprise, and took his hand with her almost frostbitten palms. She cocked the gun in her hand and placed it in his palms, then guided the barrel point blank on her forehead.

"Even my useless life is not enough to pay for what I had done to you…" she muttered. "I'm not worthy of any forgiveness from you… If you kill me you'll end this all." _End all this madness… _The image of Alec's face still lingered inside her eyes as he was captured by the guards. He was screaming for her to run, and never turning back. He had sacrificed himself to be caught to let her run free. _End all this… curse…_

Yuuhi felt the coldness of the gun's physique in his trembling hand. His finger was right on the trigger. His eyes widened as he looked more into her eyes, and he looked as if he was really ready to shoot her. She closed her eyes. The most painful thing she ever experienced was looking into Yuuhi's betrayed eyes, and she knew not a single most fatal and mortal wound could compare to that wrenching pain in her heart. But then she felt the gun's barrel retracted from her forehead, followed by a light 'thud' on the ground, and arms enclosing around her, pulling her into his embrace.

"Baka…" Yuuhi murmured as he buried his face in her dripping wet hair.

Sayaka froze in shock. _If you truly loved each other… nothing else will matter… _She could hear Suzumi's last words to her repeating again and again. Slowly she closed her eyes and her arms coiled around Yuuhi's back. And when she opened her eyes, she saw again the faint image of Akira, standing in a distance watching them. But there was a smile on his face, and he looked… serene.

Then Akira disappeared, and Sayaka knew that was the last she'd seen of him. She finally understood now. _Goodbye, Akira… I'll be all right now…_

_I have Yuuhi…_

The cold rain was drenching his whole body, but he didn't feel it. All he knew was that she had returned to him, and whatever was in the past suddenly didn't matter anymore. He leaned closer towards her face and once again tasted the sweetness of her lips.

_Yes… everything will be all right now…_

And he swept her up in his arms and took her in out of the rain.

====================================================================================

to be continued…


	7. Chapter Seven

Notes:

Just finished Chapter 7 yesterday! Phiuh… currently working on Last Chapter… hope I'll get it done before I go on vacation! Thanks for reading… :)

====================================================================================

Sayaka felt herself floating in an unknown place. _Am I dreaming again…? _Her thoughts were distracted by the sound of footsteps echoing. She opened her eyes, and saw that she was the one who is walking along a dark, empty hallway.

_What is this… I can't control my movements…_

_Where am I?_

_What am I doing…?_

She felt as if her inner self was a separate entity, conscious, but unable to control her body's movements. She could feel a cold object in her hands, and she saw that she was holding a dagger. _What am I doing!?_

She sees herself enter into a room, and saw that her body was moving towards a crib inside the room. Inside it lies Aki, Tooya and Aya's baby daughter. 

_No…!_

Sayaka felt her hand rise up, and it was ready to plunge the dagger right onto Aki, Sayaka screamed with all her might. _Stop this! What's going on!?_

_Why fight it, Sayaka…? _She suddenly heard Freya's voice. Then her figure emerged in the darkness. _You are me, and I am you. We're the same person…_

_The same blood…_

And suddenly blood sprouted up in the air…

…

Sayaka sprung up screaming as she woke up from her bad dream. Gasping for breath, she could still see the blood in front of her eyes.

"Sayaka…" she heard Yuuhi's voice call her as he sat up and pulled her into his arms. "It's all right… it's just a bad dream…" he said softly as he nuzzled his face on the curve of her shoulder and gently trailed soft kisses along her neckline.

_Yuuhi… _She breathed a little easier as she leaned back into his embrace. For a moment she suddenly forgotten about her horrid dream and was completely intoxicated as Yuuhi kissed her. The same intoxication she had felt when they made love that same night.

_But… it isn't just a bad dream…_

_It's all true…_

_The sad, painful truth…_

She pulled away from Yuuhi's arms. "Sayaka…" Yuuhi muttered softly as he touch her shoulder.

"I have to tell you the truth…" she replied softly.

"The truth? About what?" He was confused now.

"About me… about what I truly am…"

Yuuhi froze for a moment upon hearing her last remark. "What are you talking about, Sayaka…?" he finally said. "What you truly are…? You are who you are… you are Sayaka… aren't you…?"

* * *

Alec winced in pain as he opened his eyes. He didn't even remember what happened anymore. He just remembered being caught, and seeing Sayaka escape… and then… just pain. Unbearable pain. Pulling on his arm, the chain that was binding both his wrists tinkled softly. He had struggled so much that the skin around his wrists had been cut by the chain and blood was dripping bit by bit.

The door opened, and Kagami walked in with Freya, followed by the faithful Wei.

"So, I suppose the good doctor isn't such a good doctor after all." Freya smirked as she saw Alec.

"Go to hell…" Alec muttered in disgust.

Kagami smiled sinisterly. "I admire your courage and audacity, Alec. I didn't think you'd have the guts to pull that off." He hissed as he leaned closer to Alec's bruised face. "Now tell me. Where did Sayaka go?" he asked indignantly.

"I don't know!"

Kagami sighed. "You're just bringing this upon yourself, Alec." He beckoned to Wei, and the malicious looking man stepped up, tightening his grip on his chain whip, and walked around Alec. "It would be so easy if you had just cooperated silently. It would've been easier on you too."

The chain whip cracked, and there was an extreme stinging pain on his back.

"Good doctor, you don't have to go through this, you know…" Alec could still see Freya smile as she muttered those words, despite his blurring vision. _Kami-sama… what now…? _Alec prayed silently, letting out painful cries at each time he felt the whip land on the flesh on his back. _I won't submit to them again… ever! Even if it costs me my life…_

_I won't… give up!_

Kagami signaled for Wei to stop when he saw Alec's head droop down into unconsciousness.

"Determined little one, isn't he?" Freya slipped her arm into Kagami's as she leaned on his shoulder.

"She must have gone to Tooya…" Kagami said, gritting his teeth in frustration.

Freya smiled to Kagami. "Don't worry so much… my dear Kagami." She said as she touched Kagami's face. "They will come to us, and when they do, we will win because we have the best cards in the house." She said again with a victorious glimmer in her eyes. "Tooya will have no choice but to surrender Ceres' mana and Sayaka to us for the sake of his child."

Kagami remained silent at her words. His thoughts were still disturbed by the fact that Sayaka had escaped before she had finished her mana cloning.

"Don't be so tense, Kagami…" Freya muttered playfully. "Come… we have more things to do…" she said as she led Kagami towards the door.

"Kagami-san… what do you want me to do with him?" Wei asked as Kagami proceeded to the door.

Kagami stopped his steps and glanced back towards Alec for a moment. "Leave him to starve for now. We might still need him for something."

* * *

Yuuhi knelt silently in the freezing cold. He had been there for hours, just staring blankly into his eldest brother's grave. All he could hear was Sayaka's voice telling him the most shocking revelation he had ever heard of.

_"The truth is, Yuuhi… I… I'm not human… I don't know what I am…"_

_"What do you mean you're not human? Stop talking like this!" Yuuhi exclaimed as he heard her words._

_"My brother and I… never existed until shortly before I met you…" she continued. "And he isn't exactly my brother either… he's just a puppet that Freya created for me…"_

_"Freya!" Yuuhi's heart stopped upon hearing Freya's name mentioned. "What does she have anything to do with you or your brother?"_

_"Freya and I are one. I was created by her mana… but we were once a united entity…" she spoke with a now trembling voice. "And when she dies…"_

_Yuuhi immediately knew what comes after those words. "It's not true… is it…!?" he exclaimed suddenly, grabbing her shoulders. "Sayaka!"_

_But she didn't give him the answer that he wanted to hear. Instead, she just looked at him with teary-eyes. And he knew that it was the truth._

He had been so shocked at that moment that he had been speechless. He hadn't said much to her since then. He didn't know what to say exactly. But he does love her. To the very last drop of his blood, and to the very last breath of his life, he loved her.

_Fate… go on and laugh at me… laugh at me all you want… _Yuuhi cursed silently. 

But then he slowly sunk down, and buried his face in his palm in confusion and frustration. _Why her…? Why everyone of them… Aya… then Chidori… and now…_

"Kazuma-aniki…" he whispered softly. "What should I do…?"

He suddenly remembered the struggle Kazuma had to go through in order to marry Suzumi. Kazuma had been betrothed to a girl from a well-known family, a girl he did not love. An arranged political marriage, to be exact. But Kazuma fought for his love towards Suzumi against his father's wishes.

Yuuhi never understood why his brother was so determined in fighting for his freedom to love Suzumi. But he could see the happiness reflected in his eyes, the kind of happiness that Yuuhi sees only when he is with Suzumi.

_Live for love, Yuuhi…_

Yuuhi looked up. He could almost hear his brother's words whispering in the wind. The words once said from an elder brother to his younger brother. 

_…because if you truly loved one another…_

"…nothing else will matter…" Yuuhi murmured softly, repeating the words.

He froze for a moment, staring into blankness. Then, as if he was just awakened from a bad dream, he roused, and turned away from where he had been for the past hours, and took his steps home to Sayaka as the sun sets over the horizon.

* * *

The room was dimly-litted only by the faint moonlight and the citylights from outside the window. No lights were on inside the room. Mikage was sitting alone, his eyes staring blankly onto the dark wall.

"Ce…res…" his voice mumbled softly, and then he paused for a moment.

As a strain of dark cloud shifted across the moon, a stretch of darkness descended upon the room. But Mikage seemed unaffected.

"Fre…ya…" he muttered again.

He had been like this ever since he saw Ceres. It was as if something within him was awakening. Now and then he would catch unfamiliar memory glimpses of him and Ceres. Of how happy they had been. Of how much he loved her. But then every single time, Freya would lie beside him and and with her intoxicating seduction washed the images away. And Ceres would seem so far away. Just an unfamiliar figure. And now, they are returning to him. But he was confused. He couldn't understand what they are.

_Remember who you are…_

Mikage jumped at the invisible soft voice he heard whispering behind him. Slamming his back flat against the wall, his violet eyes scanned the dark, empty room. There was no one in there with him, but he could feel an eerie presence right then and there, with him.

_You loved her. Don't you remember?_

The voice startled a confused Mikage into exasperation. He straightened his pose and lifted up his hand and gathered a violet orb of chi in his palm. "Show yourself." Mikage lowered his voice as his eyes swept from one end of the room to the other, finding hints of anyone present.

Then, in a distance, a soft white light emerged, forming a figure. Mikage's eyes widened as he slowly recognized the figure, and without further thinking, he released the violet orb in his hand towards the white figure.

But the violet blast dissolved as it merged into the white figure. He just smiled faintly as he continued to look at Mikage in silence.

"It can't be…" Mikage muttered. "You're… you're dead! No… you're not dead! You just don't exist! You can't exist! You are just a soulless body! You don't exist!" he fumbled for words.

_Oh, but I do exist. _The words softly purred as Akira's unmoving lips curve to a kind smile. His eyes reflected sadness as he looked at Mikage calmly. _And yes, I was a soulless body. But love has given me a soul…_

"This is just… another trick…" Mikage said as he grabbed on his head. "Another trick that my mind is playing on me!"

_Remember… Ceres…_

"Shut up!" Mikage yelled in frustration.

_Remember… your love…_

Something was pounding inside his head. Something that was trying to break free. His head flipped back as he unleashed a roar of pain. And his eyes saw a blinding white light. 

Bright.

* * *

Suzumi felt a warm sensation sweep across her face. The last thing she remembered was going through her last test that had drained every single drop of her life force out of her limbs. She opened her heavyweighted eyelids and was surprised as she found herself surrounded in a white vacuum. And looking into her eyes with those kind eyes she had so longed to gaze into again was…

"Kazuma-san…?" Suzumi mouthed her late husband's name in disbelief.

Kazuma smiled faintly.

"Is… is this a dream?" she asked, sitting up. But then Kazuma's hands reach out and rested on hers and she could feel his warmth. Her tears welled in her eyes as she rushed into her husband's arms. Into the warmth she had so longed to feel again.

"Suzumi…" Kazuma's voice whispered gently as his arms enclose around her and embraced her lovingly.

She couldn't control her emotions, nor could she control her flowing tears. The man that she loved the most, the man whom she had married for that love, and the man who had been taken away from her by tragic death, leaving her almost at the verge of insanity. She closed her eyes and nestled herself close in the warmth of his arms.

She felt Kazuma's palm lift her chin up, then he kissed her gently. "My beautiful Suzumi…" he said softly. "I'm sorry I have caused you so much pain…"

"If this is a dream… I don't ever want to wake up…" Suzumi replied. "Ever…"

But then Kazuma released her, and he put his hands on her shoulders. "Suzumi…" he started to speak. "Do you hear that? Can you hear them?"

"Hear… them?" Suzumi repeated Kazuma's question. She listened in the silence. And far away, she could hear faint voices calling her name. Familiar voices.

"Suzumi…" Kazuma continued, his voice still the calm, soft voice that had always soothed her soul. "It's not your time yet…"

"No!" Suzumi screamed. "I don't want to be apart from you again! Kazuma-san! Onegai…"

"When the time comes… Suzumi… we will be together again…" Kazuma smiled as he took her hand. "Right now, there are people who need you… Yuuhi needs you…"

"Yuuhi…" Suzumi's eyes widened as she muttered Yuuhi's name.

Yuuhi. The brother whom Kazuma had entrusted into her care. The boy who, in those years, became more than just a brother-in-law to Suzumi, but had became her life and soul. She remembered the once quiet and timid young Yuuhi when he was first brought into Kazuma and Suzumi's home from the Aogiri house. The minute she saw him, she felt an overwhelming compassion for the rejected and abandoned boy. And over time, Suzumi had patiently penetrated through the barrier that the young boy had set up around him, protecting him from others who may hurt him.

Yuuhi. The boy who, in Suzumi's darkest moments, had pulled her out of her sorrow and showered her with hope and gave her newfound strength to face life.

Yuuhi. Because of him, she was alive until this very day.

Yuuhi. The brother she never had.

Suzumi smiled faintly. "Yuuhi needs me…" she whispered softly.

Kazuma nodded as he smiled. "When the time comes, Suzumi…"

"… We will be together again…" she continued his words.

And then he disappeared, and a bright light descended upon Suzumi. Then she could feel her body being cradled in someone's arms. When she opened her eyes, she saw a violet hued glow sweeping across her face, and warmth seeping inside her limbs. And gold-colored pupils looking into her eyes.

"Ceres…?"

* * *

_Yuuhi…_

Sayaka shivered as she slumped on the floor in the cold, empty room. She felt as if her whole body was wrenched in pain. She wanted to see Yuuhi, but she couldn't bring herself to look into his eyes.

_I have brought you more pain…_

_… but I love you…_

_I loved you so much… that it hurts to not be with you…_

"Sayaka…" Suddenly the voice that she had longed to hear all day was heard by the door. She paused for a moment in shock, and turned towards the door. And there stood Yuuhi, his chest heaving from his heavy breathing, steaming mist forming at each exhaled breath he made. And before she could even react to his presence, he came rushing towards her and pulled her close in his arms.

There were so many words she wanted to say, but the words can't find their way out of her lips. She rested her head silently on his chest, and she could hear his heartbeat faintly. Slowly, she put a hand on her own chest, and now she could hear two heartbeats beating together at the same exact pace. And it calmed her senses and soothed her soul.

Yuuhi closed and buried his face in the softness of her raven hair. "I don't care what you are…" he finally spoke. "And I don't care what fate has decided for you… we will defy it together, just as Aya had defied her fate…"

She closed her eyes as she felt Yuuhi's soft kiss land on her forehead and his arms enclose around her tighter.

_Kami-sama… I don't know what the future has in hold for us…_

_Death…_

_Tragedy…_

_Painful sorrow…_

_But please… let us have this moment just a little bit longer…_

* * *

Tooya stood alone in the darkness. He glanced at his watch. _Almost time… _He thought. Then as he was about to turn around, suddenly a drop of cold sensation landed on the tip of his nose. He looked up, and saw snowflakes fluttering about above him in the sky, dancing gracefully in the cold, wintry night, before disappearing under the ground.

_Tooya…_

Tooya's eyes then caught the familiar white figure standing in the gardens.

"Akira…"

He smiled at Tooya, but then he faded away within the falling snowflakes.

"Akira!" Tooya called out, running towards where he had seen him. But he found himself standing in an empty darkness, showered by the falling snowflakes.

"Tooya… what's wrong?" Tomonori's voice called out from the parlor.

Tooya turned around and saw Tomonori, Yuuhi and Sayaka standing there, waiting for him. "Iie… nandemonai…" he replied.

"Are you ready?" Yuuhi asked.

Tooya nodded, and took his steps towards them. As they made their way towards the door, Tooya turned back to look towards the gardens one last time.

Dark.

And so he turned around, and made his way to where his battle awaits.

Mikage International.

====================================================================================

to be continued…


	8. Chapter Eight

_"Chichi…!" the raven-haired little boy called out as he took his little steps running towards his father, who is sitting alone, absorbed by the book he was reading. The book was, naturally, a gourmet cookbook. As the boy took another step, suddenly he tripped on a pebble and was on his way to the ground, but two gentle hands grasped just in time on his little body tenderly and lifted him up._

_"Hmm… I just can't leave you alone, can I?" A mother's beautiful azure eyes twinkled as she kissed the apple of her eye. Her beloved husband's son. Yuuhi's son. The boy giggled at the feel of his mother's affection on his cheek and he threw his little arms around her neck affectionately. "Haha…!" he squealed. _

_Sayaka turned to Yuuhi, who was already on his feet the moment he saw his young son falling off, and she smiled. _

Sayaka… look at us… we're so happy now… _Yuuhi stepped towards her and their little son. He gazed into the little wonder who, now, was struggling away from his mother's arms to jump into his father's. The little wonder who shared Sayaka's azure eyes, and the Yuuhi's boyish looks. _

_"Chi…chi…!"  the boy giggled again as his little hands waved about in the air towards Yuuhi._

_Yuuhi took the boy in his arms and held him close. He closed his eyes and savored the warmth for a moment._

He felt his eyes getting hot, and warm tears started to trickle down his cheek. He opened his eyes, and found himself slumped down on a cold floor. The scene that was before his eyes was merely a beautiful dream. A dream that never existed, and will probably never exist. Ever. His arms were clutching Sayaka's motionless body, as if holding a priceless relic. He could feel her chest heaving against his, very faintly, and her weak voice whispering softly, faintly as she gasped for air…

"Yuuhi… I love you…"

Yuuhi held her closer, his tears dripped onto her face endlessly.

_God… please…_

_Please…_

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The guard toppled down by Yuuhi's feet, unconscious. Two distinct red marks were on his forehead, from the strong force of the both ends of Yuuhi's chopsticks point blank on his skull. Yuuhi peered out of the hallway corner and saw a dark, empty passageway. He signaled 'clear' and signaled for everyone to proceed.

"The shrine is on the 50th floor…" Sayaka said. "Ceres… iie… Aya wa… she's being contained at the 49th floor. Suzumi-san is contained on this floor…" she told Yuuhi. Then she turned to Tooya. "I don't know where they're holding Aki…"

"That's enough information…" Tooya answered. "I will go for Aya…"

"And I'll go for Onee-sama!" Yuuhi exclaimed, then he tossed a communication device to Tooya. "Keep communications open at all times." He smiled.

Tooya caught the device promptly and nodded. "Kiotsukete, Aogiri." He said calmly, and made his way along the passageway towards the stairwell with a few men.

As Yuuhi took his step, he felt a weak tug on his arm. He turned around, and was gazed upon by Sayaka's worried eyes. He lifted his palm and touched her cheek gently. "It'll be all right…" he said softly. "I will protect you, Sayaka…"

They were silent for a moment, then Sayaka took his hand and pulled him. "Kochira… Yuuhi…!"

* * *

The sounds of guns being cocked echoed throughout the dark corridor. Then, more similar sounds followed as Tooya's men did so the moment he stopped his steps.

From the invisible darkness in front of Tooya, few figures emerge out into the light, their gun barrels pointing right at Tooya. From the corner of his eye, he could see his men raising their weapons, and he motioned for them to cease.

His eyes gleamed, and in a split second Tooya had sprung forward, almost too fast for the eyes to see other than a sweeping soft crimson glow. And Tooya's silhouette emerged amidst the fading glow, standing still among the broken men and weapons who, just a second ago, was still standing in their stances. A crimson glowing dagger was in his hand.

"Sugoi…" one of Tooya's men murmured.

Tooya glanced back at his men, his eyes were now glowing almost of something sinister. "Ikuzo." He commanded calmly.

"Matte, Tooya." A familiar voice called out from the curve of the hallway as he walked off. Tooya glared towards where the voice had came from immediately, only to meet the eyes of Wei. Tooya halted his steps again, then after a moment, he turned around towards Wei.

"Tooya…" the leader of his men stepped up, trying to talk him out of what is obviously going to happen next. 

But Tooya merely narrowed his eyes. "Go." He said briefly, and reverted his eyes back towards an old enemy who, obviously, still holds bitter grudges against him.

As the men vacated the hallway, they now stood face to face alone in the darkness. Eyes gazing as though burning a flame through each other.

"Why do you keep doing this, Wei?" Tooya asked finally.

"Don't question me!!!" Wei suddenly roared as he sprung forward in a flash, a thunderous blow hitting Tooya, sending him smashing into a wall. And it crumbled upon Tooya, burying him underneath their heavy weight. There was silence for a moment, until a soft crimson glow enclosed around the rubble, and each piece of the rubble vaporized into dust, sending a force that created a sandstorm like phenomena right towards Wei.

Blinded by the dust, Wei finally opened his eyes again just in time to see Tooya's dagger plunging right towards his face. He dodged it barely, feeling its sharp blade graze into the flesh of his right cheek. They stopped for a minute, as Wei gathered his balance and wiped the blood off his face.

Irregular breathing commenced, and death glares exchanged in the malicious silence.

"You shouldn't have turned against us in the first place, Tooya." Wei finally spoke, swinging his chain whip casually.

"Why does the Mikages earn such faithfulness from you?" Tooya stepped back to take an attack stance as he saw Wei doing so. "Why, after all this time, you remain so faithful by their side!? Open your eyes, Wei!!!" Tooya roared in anger.

"I have devoted my life for Kagami-san." Came the dry reply from his former colleague. "A dead man such as yourself has no need of knowing the reasons behind it."

"You're a fool, Wei."

Wei smirked. "We'll see who's the bigger fool!" As he finished his words, he charged forward again, and Tooya charged as well. The chain wrapped around the dagger, and the force created a blast that sent windows and walls around them shattering into pieces. But their glares were never off one another, both vicious and murderous.

Blasts exploded, weapons clashed, and to kill was in their eyes. As Wei's chains suddenly wrap around one of Tooya's leg, he yanked on them, causing Tooya to stumble onto the floor. Taking his chance, he swung his other weapon as he charged on top of Tooya.

Tooya winced, feeling sore, but then he saw danger coming right at him. As fast as lightning, the dagger that had dissolved back into his body appeared in his hand again, and he charged upwards towards Wei.

And blood splashed out in the air. Tainting the white walls.

_Blood… red blood…_

_Human blood…_

_What a beautiful sight…_

_"You bastard useless child!" came the yell of the middle-aged man as the whip cracked onto the back of the young child._

_The child no longer cried as he used to. He was accustomed to growing up in an environment of abuse. His father, who never said a single kind word to him throughout his nine years of age, and his elder brothers and sisters, who, bullied him cruelly. He was used to being beaten and battered to a point of death, and was used to the sight of blood._

_The sight of his own blood._

_He could never understand why his father and siblings hated him so much. He would look the other way, and met the eyes of his compassionate yet helpless mother. Abused just as he is, neither of them could seek comfort in each other's arms as they were never allowed to hold each other._

_"Do you think I would let you embrace that man's son in your arms?" His father would yell at his mother. "Did you really think I took him in to be my bastard son? To live in the lap of luxury of being your son? He will pay for your sins against me, you ungrateful bitch!"_

Naruhodo…

_It was then that he understood…_

_The father he had always known, the father who had always hated him, wasn't really his father. And as he grew up still amidst beatings and slavery by his own 'family', he learned the truth little by little. _

_His mother was their mother too. But he didn't share their father. His mother was raped by a powerful foreigner who was passing by in their little village in China, who had taken an interest in the beautiful young woman walking in the marketplace. But no one believed her. Not even her husband, her children, or her parents. Ever since then, she had been labeled as a whore by her own family, and worse, she became pregnant as a result of the horrid illicit sexual crime performed against her. _

_And thus Wei Fei Li was born into a family that despised him, and sees him as a child of curse. His mother's husband had vowed that the innocent child will pay for his mother's sins, and thus came the abuse, the beatings, the torture, the horrible, painful childhood…_

_He hated his father, and his siblings. And he hated his mother too. He hated himself. He hated his life. He hated everything around him. _Why? Why do I have to be born into such a horrid life?

_Until one day, on his tenth year of age, he walked into his home finding his family massacred. Heads decapitated off their heads, and limbs torn from their bodies. His hateful father, siblings, and also his silent mother. Amidst the blood and bodies, sat a foreign man. He looked silent and calm, and it was as though the blood did not affect him._

_"Wei Fei Li." He said softly in a deep, husky voice. The minute he spoke, Wei knew who he was. The man smiled at the expression on the boy's face, and he chuckled. "Clever boy." He said again as he stood up. "Come. I have freed you from the torture and abuse you've endured for so many years. You will come to Japan and live to serve your true family…"_

_"Mikage…"_

The vision of his childhood faded away and he was returned back to reality. There was only deafening silence, and the pain. The pain caused by Tooya's dagger that had plunged right into his heart.

"Live… to serve… my true family…" Wei mouthed the words as he felt his life pulling away from his limbs slowly. "Live… to serve… Kagami…"

"…my… brother…"

Tooya was paralyzed by shock at the last words he mouthed. Wei's body crumbled into his arms, his eyes still open wide, yet his soul had departed from his body to the afterlife. There was the deafening silence again. Then Tooya retracted his hand from Wei's flesh, and the lifeless body toppled onto the floor.

Tooya glared into his hand that was stained with Wei's blood. There was an unspeakable anger reflected in his eyes. 

_Mikage Kagami… _

_I will make sure that your evil will truly end this very night…_

* * *

Aya sat on the floor, curled up, hugging her knees. _Cold… _She shivered. Her face was pale, and she felt weak. She thought of Tooya, and her child, Aki. A drop of tear rolled down her cheek. _Tooya… will we prevail evil this time…?_

She closed her eyes and rested her temples on her knees. 

_Ceres… _She called out silently to her alter ego.

_Yes, Aya…?_

_I'm… I'm afraid, Ceres…_

Then in the darkness of her closed eyelids, she could see Ceres' figure emerge out of the shadow. Ceres looked pale as well, yet she was still beautiful. The tennyo smiled bitterly, and floated gracefully to Aya's side. Enclosed in the tennyo's arms, Aya could almost feel a hint of warmth amidst the cold darkness.

"We must be strong, Aya…" Ceres whispered as she caressed the girl's hair gently. "We must have faith…"

"Faith?" Aya murmured as she rested her head on Ceres' bosom. "Faith in what… Ceres…? I don't think I could gather enough of it in me to even believe in any hope right now…"

"Faith in love, my child." Came Ceres' soft reply.

"Love?"

Aya felt Ceres' hands grip her shoulders and pulled her away from her embrace. Her eyes were now met by Ceres' gaze. The glimmer in her eyes was none other than determination. iFaith…? Yes, Ceres could still have faith… but I…/i

"Have faith in Tooya's love…" Ceres spoke, as she took both Aya's hands. "Just as my faith remains in Mikage's love…"

Suddenly, they saw a figure in the corner of their eyes. Both women turned, and found themselves looking at a distraught looking Mikage Shiso. Then the darkness dissolved back into light, and Ceres found herself sitting on the room's cold floor. And yes, Mikage was still there, standing right in front of her.

"Ce… Ceres…" he mumbled with a trembling voice as he looked down at her with a strange gaze. His eyes were familiar, but then in a split second they were sinister again. Suddenly, he threw his hands and grabbed on his skull. Now curled up on the floor, he was howling in agony.

"Mikage!" Ceres screamed and ran towards him. As she knelt down by him, suddenly his hands grasped onto both of her hands. But they were shaking, and his grip was not a malicious act, but more of a cry for help.

He looked up, and what Ceres saw were the eyes of her Mikage. The eyes of the man who had loved her with all his heart and soul. "Ce… res…" he mouthed her name as his green eyes watered with tears. "My… beautiful Ceres…"

Ceres could no longer hold back the tears in her eyes. She threw her arms around her lost husband and kissed him, again and again. _Have faith in love… in those who loved you… _However, a mere moment was all they have. Ceres turned at the sound of an opening door, and found herself staring eye to eye with a shocked Freya.

Eyes widening in shock, rage, and yes, vengeance, a glow enclosed around Freya. "You will [b]**never**[/b] have him again… I will never allow it… ever…" she hissed as her eyes glowed devilishly. The room was suddenly filled with extreme heat and thunderous force that came from her rage.

Ceres held Mikage tight in her arms, but then she felt his hands grip her wrists again. She looked down, and to her surprise, was once again looking into possessed eyes. As she gasped and released Mikage, he grabbed her and twisted her arms behind her back.

"Miss me, Ceres?"

* * *

Sayaka placed her palm on the door that remains as the last barrier between them and Suzumi. She paused for a moment, then a violet glow came out from her palms, and the door fell into pieces. 

As the dust settled, Yuuhi could gradually see the figure of his sister-in-law, lying motionless on the cold floor.

"ONEE-SAMA!!!" he yelled instantly and dashed into the cold, empty room. He crouched by Suzumi's side, wanting to touch and hold her in his arms, but paralyzed from the shock of seeing her condition. He was afraid that if he held her, his fear would be realized. That she was really dead.

Sayaka knelt by Suzumi's side. She cupped her palm on her mouth to muffle her sobs. Then she gently touched Suzumi's face. _Cold… _But as she pressed on the pulse point of her neck, she could feel a very faint pulse. "She… she's alive…" Sayaka stammered. "Yuuhi…! She's alive!"

Yuuhi's face brightened with hope at Sayaka's remark. He finally reached out his trembling hands and lifted Suzumi into his embrace.

"Yuu…hi…?" Suzumi's weak voice whispered softly as Yuuhi cradled her.

"Hai… nee-sama… I'm here…" Yuuhi replied softly and clutched her closer. "Everything will be all right now…"

"Yuuhi-san!" one of the men interrupted the moment as they rushed into the room. When Yuuhi and Sayaka looked up, two of the men had a blonde-haired figure draped around their shoulders. And Sayaka knew immediately who it was.

Alec looked up as he felt Sayaka's hand touch his face, then his eyes widened in shock. "Sayaka…" he muffled her name, then struggled to force a smile into his battered face.

Sayaka felt pain ripping her heart apart as she saw his condition. He was bruised and battered, eyes bloodshot with internal bleeding. "Kami-sama…" she whispered under her breath in horror as she swept a strand of his hair away from his eyes. "What have they done to you…"

"I know… I know where they're holding Ceres… and the child…" Alec stammered.

Yuuhi looked up at his words. He immediately extracted out his walkie-talkie. "Tooya." He spoke. "Where are you?"

* * *

Rushing across the hallway in the 49th floor, Sayaka seemed troubled. _This is all going too smoothly… _She thought to herself. _Something is wrong…_ They had ordered half of their men to bring Suzumi and Alec to safety, out of the building, while the rest proceeded with Yuuhi and Sayaka to meet Tooya at the location that Alec had specified.

They saw a glimpse of light at the end of the hallway, and Sayaka's heartbeat went faster and faster in suspense.

"Tooya!" Yuuhi exclaimed as he rushed into the room, but he stopped in silence at what he saw.

Sayaka took a step backwards to lean on the wall behind her. In front of her, was Tooya's figure staring into a wall bathed in blood into a message.

'If you want Ceres and the child alive,

bring the mana and the tennyo to the shrine.'__

"Tennyo…" Yuuhi murmured in horror as he turned around and was met with Sayaka's helpless eyes.

_Kuso…_

_What should we do now!?_

* * *

Mikage's strong hand slammed Ceres onto the floor of the shrine. Freya emerged behind him, a sly smirk on her face. "So how does it feel now, Ceres?"

Ceres looked up at her nemesis. She had been drained of blood. Her head was now starting to spin from her weakness. _No… I must hang on… if I slip away from consciousness… Aya won't be able to withstand this…_

"Don't worry…" Freya said softly as she leaned down closer towards Ceres. "I won't let you die… at least not until you witnessed all your beloved friends go through a slow, painful death…"

"Damn you to you hell, Freya…" Ceres hissed in anger. "It's me you want… just kill me and appease yourself… but leave the innocent alone!!!"

Before Freya could react to her remarks, suddenly they heard a mild explosion from the shrine entrance. Behind the smoke, silhouettes of three figures stepped into the shrine. A soft crimson and violet glow enclose around the three.

"Let Ceres go, Freya." Tooya's voice echoed throughout the marble walls as he emerged from the settling dust.

Freya smiled. "I'm so glad you could join us, Tooya." She replied. Then her eyes immediately glared towards Sayaka, who stepped up next to Tooya, then towards a very much alive Yuuhi. The smile disappeared from her face, and she looked angry. "You disappoint me, my dear Sayaka. It seems that you have broken our agreement in the first place and deceived me. I don't think I'm very happy with that."

"I suppose none of us are at this very moment…" Sayaka replied calmly. 

"I see you've grown a little bit bolder." Freya smirked, then suddenly, she disappeared from where she was standing and appeared right in front of Yuuhi. In a flash, she has Yuuhi's face in her palms and he didn't even have a chance to react yet when he suddenly found himself embraced in a kiss with Freya. "Say goodbye, Sayaka…" she hissed softly as a bright glow emerged underneath their feet and their entwined bodies descended to disappear into the dimensional portal.

"Yuuhi!" Sayaka screamed and she leaped to hold Yuuhi's hand just in time as Yuuhi was about to disappear completely into the portal. As their hands touch, Sayaka was sucked into the oblivion as well. The glow faded, and the three were gone. 

Tooya was left standing there alone, faced with Mikage.

"So you've come back for more beating, Tooya?" Mikage mocked, as he lifted his hand in the air to produce his dagger.

Tooya stood still, his eyes staring at Mikage with a fiery gaze that could almost burn a hole right through. Then without words, he dashed forward and attacked Mikage. Soon, the two were involved in a vicious and spectacular battle that shook the shrine.

"Yamette!!!" Ceres screamed. "Onegai, Mikage!!!"

Mikage's eyes glanced towards Ceres at her scream, and the deranged glow in his eyes suddenly faded away. At this slim chance, Tooya immediately landed a powerful punch on his face. Caught off guard, Mikage fell onto the floor and when he opened his eyes, Tooya was charging at him at full speed. Seeing Tooya, he became possessed again. Pulling out the dagger, he stopped Tooya's as it came right towards his head.

The shrine rumbled as crimson and violet blasts shatter the glass windows. The two were still holding on, struggling to kill each other, but unable to do so. Suddenly, amidst the battle roaring, they heard the sound of a crying child.

Tooya's quick eyes immediately reverted to where the sound came from. The familiar sound. The sound of his crying child. "Aki!" But in that moment of lapse, Mikage swung his dagger and stabbed it right onto the side of Tooya's lower abdomen. Then a powerful kick sent him crashing onto the floor.

Blood flowed out of the open gash, and Tooya cringed in pain. But only one thing is in his mind now. _Aki… where is Aki!? _

Steps crunched on the shattered glass. And Tooya saw Mikage Kagami standing in a distance. In Kagami's arms, was Aki, Tooya's sweet baby girl. Kagami smiled at Tooya, and leaned closer to kiss the baby's head gently. "Sweet sweet child." He said softly, as he gently rocked the crying child. 

Tooya gritted his teeth, and struggled to get up on his feet.

"I suggest you not do that." Kagami smirked. "If you want your child alive…" he said again, as his other hand produced a shiny blade and trailed it down the child's skin. "Then again… I probably shouldn't even spare her… considering that you have murdered my brother…"

Tooya slumped back down on the floor. "You're insane… Kagami…"

Kagami smiled. "That's simply subjective. Now, may I have Ceres' mana…?"

* * *

Yuuhi opened his eyes, and found himself lying in a blank space. They were trapped in a dimensional vacuum. 

"Yuuhi!!!" Sayaka called him from a distance. But before they could get to each other, suddenly Freya's laugh echoed in the infinity of space.

"You disgust me." Freya appeared, floating amidst the space in front of them. "Love disgusts me! What it does is make you into something pathetic and weak!" her eyes glimmered with what could only be… hate.

"You're wrong!" Yuuhi stood up and spoke in a challenging tone. "What do you know of love!?"

"Foolish boy." Freya snorted. "I will show you the pain and sufferings of love." And to Yuuhi's horror, suddenly a blast emerged from her palm and went straight for Sayaka.

He didn't even think anymore. His steps immediately took him to counter the blast with his own body before it hit Sayaka. He was protected by the tennyo-crested bands he was wearing, but the powerful blast forced his sturdy feet to slide backwards. Sayaka's arms enclose around him, and her chi merged with Yuuhi's barrier, blasted away Freya's attack into dust.

Yuuhi suddenly dropped onto his knees. He coughed out blood as he was wounded internally. "I will end all your madness… Freya… and send you to hell…!" Yuuhi hissed as he looked up.

_Dame da… _Sayaka looked up at Freya. _She's much too powerful…_

"Your stubborn nature is very amusing, Aogiri Yuuhi." Freya laughed. "I look forward to see you kill me with your own hands… as it would also mean killing your dear Sayaka…" she smiled victoriously. "She is me, and I am her."

Freya's words felt as if it had put Yuuhi's heart to a stop. He had wished that it wasn't true. That none of this were true. He shut his eyes and gritted his teeth in hopelessness. Suddenly, he saw brightness flashed behind his closed eyelids, and when he opened his eyes, he saw a bright silvery light enclose around him, absorbing another chi blast that Freya had release upon him. The light subsided, and Sayaka stood in front of him, her eyes of gold and her hair of violet, transformed into a tennyo. She glared at Freya with fire blazing in her eyes.

_She is me… and I am her…_

"You've toyed with our fates enough, Freya…" Sayaka said with determination in her voice. Her eyes reflected an awakening. She has no doubts in her eyes, nor fear or hesitation. She lifted her palm and gathered an orb of force on it. It grew bigger and bigger, crackling with energy and force.

"You amuse me, Sayaka…" Freya laughed.

"You underestimate me." Sayaka said as she closed her eyes, her voice calm. "I now understand… what I am… and what I can do." she continued, then as she opened her eyes, she released the orb towards Freya. The powerful orb trapped Freya in its crackling force, and Freya howled in pain as she felt her body ripped by its force. Then slowly, the infinite vacuum around them dissolved…

* * *

"Tooya!!! No!!!" Ceres screamed as Tooya held out his hands in front of his chest and a glow emerged atop his palms. Slowly, the mana inside his body appeared in all its splendor. Kagami's eyes glimmered in excitement as he saw it.

"Sumanai… Ceres…" Tooya said softly, his eyes gazing at Ceres for forgiveness. He turned towards Kagami. _Aki… I… I can't let her die in Kagami's hands…_

Mikage stood in front of Tooya, staring at the mana with amazement in his eyes. He smiled victoriously. "It's all over for you, Tooya…" Mikage hissed as he took the mana in his hands.

As the mana left Tooya's hands, he was suddenly paralyzed by pain and weakness. Tooya collapsed onto the floor, helpless, and at loss for blood. _It's all over… I'm going to die…_

Mikage placed the mana on the altar when the shrine rumbled mildly. 

…

Yuuhi opened his eyes and found himself lying on the floor of the shrine, enclosed in Sayaka's arms. iHow did we…?/i Turning around, he saw Freya slumped on the floor not too far away. It looked like Sayaka had managed to wound her.

Sayaka opened her eyes, and cringed in pain. The damage she had done to Freya had successfully broke the spell that she had cast to trap them in an inter-dimensional vacuum. But whatever wounds and pain Freya had attained, was attained by her body as well.

_I am her… and she is me…_

She ignored the pain. _This has to end… all of this… _And she stood up on her feet. "Stand up, Freya." She said. "We'll conclude this here, right now."

"I admire your stupidity." Freya spoke as she stood up, clasping her chest. "You should stop fighting me, and join me instead. I will spare you and your beloved Yuuhi in the perfect world I will create. I will let Yuuhi and you have your love… isn't that what you want… Sayaka…?"

Sayaka froze at her words. She turned to look at Yuuhi. 

_"Naoki!" Sayaka's voice echoed throughout the hallway. Her eyes sweep every corner of each room as her feet trod along the hallways looking for her little son. "Naoki-chaaaan!"_

_She opened the door to her bedroom and looked inside. There on the bed, caressed by the afternoon breeze, lies a sleeping Yuuhi. Curled in his arms was their raven-haired little son, breathing rhythmically, sound asleep in the warmth of Yuuhi's embrace._

_She smiled as she closed the door silently behind her._

_Naoki._

_The song of faith._

_The fruit of their undying faith in love._

_Yuuhi mumbled softly as she touched his face, then opened his eyes. "Sayaka…" he smiled sleepily. "What are you doing…?"_

_"Sssh…" She put a finger at her lips as the little child mumbled in his sleep ._

_Yuuhi smiled, and tucked Naoki closer in his embrace. He took Sayaka's hand and pulled her gently towards him. She lied down next to him and felt his arms enclose around her. The child stirred slowly, but did not wake as he was now snuggled in the warmth of both his father and mother's embrace._

_"I love you Sayaka…" she could hear Yuuhi's voice whisper softly._

_She closed her eyes and savored the warmth she felt…_

_… and wished that it will never end…_

Her dream faded away. Yes, it was nothing but a beautiful dream. Something that can only happen by the powers of…

… a miracle.

And by the grace of God. Or…

_Freya's perfect world… _Her mind thought of the possibility of a dream come true that Freya had enticed her with. But then, she opened her eyes, and there was clarity reflected in it. Sheer awakening. "No." she replied softly. "Your world is not the kind of place I will let my child live in!"

Yuuhi looked up, shocked at her remark. _Child…?_

Freya chuckled. She wiped the blood off her lips and signaled towards Kagami. Kagami nodded and extracted a device out of his pocket and pressed a button on it. Something hummed to life around the shrine and four pillars ascended from the floor around the altar. On two of the pillars were glowing manas. As Freya lifted her hand, Ceres' mana that was on the altar suddenly lifted up, as though controlled by telekinetic powers, and floated onto the third pillar. The shrine rumbled again mildly as Ceres' mana took its place, and the three manas started to react against once another, building an electrical current around them, crackling with heat.

Sayaka's eyes looked at the three manas in horror. _My mana! But how did they…_

"I should thank Suzumi Aogiri for doing such a wonderful job in finishing what you left behind, Sayaka." Freya smirked.

Catching Sayaka off guard with her remark, Freya suddenly disappeared from where she was and appeared as quick as lightning in front of Sayaka, and in a flash, Sayaka was strangled. Despite being choked, Sayaka suddenly grasped onto Freya and blasted her off. Freya crashed onto a wall. Feeling pain. She looked up at Sayaka, surprised that the girl had suddenly gotten so powerful in such a short time. _She has awakened. She has realized that she has my powers…_

"Mikage!" Kagami exclaimed. "We need to proceed with the ritual!" he continued as he watched the two tennyos face off. He smirked at the sight of the now weak Tooya. _He will no longer be a threat to us. And Ceres is already weak as well… _

Mikage nodded and closed his eyes. Slowly, the mana came into form atop both his palms. 

Sayaka appeared in front of Freya and strangled her. From her hands came an electrifying force that paralyzed Freya. _Die… die… Freya! _She grimaced in pain as she felt the same effect overtaking her body. _I have to withhold this… I can't let her… win…_

As Freya weakened, suddenly the evil glow faded away from Mikage's eyes. He dropped onto the floor, his head pounding hard. And his surroundings faded into a deafening silence, until in a distance, he could slowly hear a soft voice singing a song. A familiar voice. iWhat's happening? Whose voice… is it…?/i When he opened his eyes, he saw the beautiful grounds of heaven, a beautiful green meadow filled with colorful flowers. And he remembered. He remembered everything.

Who he was.

Who he loved.

_Ceres…_

The spell had been broken. And Mikage now found himself in the middle of an unfamiliar place. Confused. _What happened to me? _He thought as he looked at the mana in his hands.

A blast exploded between Freya and Sayaka. They were both thrown away from each other. When the smoke settled, Yuuhi could see Freya standing intact. She had been weakened, yes, but she will live. Sayaka, however…

"Your efforts are in vain." Freya spoke to Sayaka. "Yes, you have the powers to weaken me, but doing so means killing yourself." She continued. "And your human body can't take as much as my immortal body." She said.

Sayaka looked up at Freya. _No… _Her eyes were brimming with tears. She could feel the strength sapped away from every single one of her limbs. She knew she was fighting a lost battle. There was no way to kill Freya. _Nothing I did is harming her…_

Freya stepped up, and held out her palms in front of Sayaka's head. "I will make this fast and painless for you, Sayaka…"

"Not so fast, Freya!" Yuuhi exclaimed suddenly. When Freya turned her head, she froze in horror when she saw her mana in his hands.

But then a smile broke back into her face, and she started laughing. "You're truly threatening me with my mana?" Freya laughed.

"Urusai, Freya!" Yuuhi exclaimed. "I mean it!"

"Oh how I'd love to see that…" Freya chuckled. "I'd like to see you kill the woman you love. Go ahead."

Yuuhi turned to look at Sayaka. She looked at him helplessly, and she could only nod at what he was about to do. "Do it, Yuuhi! Please!" she screamed. His hands were ready to crush the fragile mana, but he couldn't do it.

He couldn't do it if it means Sayaka's death.

"Yuuhi!!!!" Sayaka screamed as she pushed herself to get up. "Do it!!!"

Tooya lifted up his hands amidst his short breaths. "A… ki…" he murmured his daughter's name.

Mikage opened his eyes, and saw everything clearly. He was himself again, freed from all evil that had possessed his soul.  turned towards Kagami, who was holding the child, and in a split second, Mikage had appeared in front of Kagami. Taken by surprise, suddenly Mikage's powerful palm was already on Kagami face, ready to crush his skull. Frozen by shock, Kagami was unable to retaliate as Mikage took the child from his hands. Then he held out his hand, and lifted Ceres' mana away from the pillar, breaking the reaction between the manas, and let it float towards Ceres.

Freya turned towards Mikage and glared at him in shock. She didn't even realize that her spell had been broken. Angered, she attacked Mikage with a blast. Sayaka's eyes widened in horror as she saw the blast coming right towards Mikage, who is holding the child in his arms. But he countered with a blast attack, and the two powerful forces clashed onto each other, and the impact was overwhelming.

Kagami stepped backwards towards the door as the walls rumbled. Mikage and Freya were now engrossed in a powerful forceful battle. The two orbs of chi forces rammed against each other, attempting to overtake one another, and blast the other away into dust.

Amidst the shattering walls and blinding light, Freya's mana that was in Yuuhi's hands suddenly lifted away. _What's happening!? _Yuuhi's eyes followed to where the mana was going. And to his horror, it floated right into Sayaka's arms.

She looked at him with a faint, bitter smile. And he knew what she was about to do. Time felt as if it had slowed down to a stop as he forced his steps towards her. And he could see the beautiful dream once again. Him, Sayaka, and their child… But it shattered into pieces, along with Freya's mana that was now enclosed in a violet glow from Sayaka's palms. As the glow became brighter brighter, the mana deteriorated, and then dissolved, leaving nothing more but sparkling silvery dusts floating amidst the thin air, showering Sayaka's face as her body slowly dropped onto the floor.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" Yuuhi roared as he caught her body in his arms.

And then… there was only silence…

====================================================================================


	9. Aftermath

Yuuhi dragged his steps across the green grass. Ever since the day Sayaka died, his steps had always felt heavy, and his arms always felt as though they were still holding her lifeless body in his arms. Most of the time Yuuhi is just quiet now, his smile faint. He tried to go on with his life, and to be strong, always, as he had been the stronghold that held Aya up when Tooya passed away silently the next night in his sleep. But at certain times like this, he would just break down, and felt like life was not worth living. He touched the newly repainted railings and reminisced. It was here, two years ago, when he had stolen his first kiss from Sayaka.

His hands gripped the railings tighter, as if he wanted to crush them into pieces.

"Yuuhi…" Aya's voice called out softly as she touched his arm. She looked at him sadly. No matter what she did, she couldn't ease his pain. Although she herself had to cope with the pain of losing Tooya, she knew that it was nothing compared to what Yuuhi is going through. Even though they had sought comfort and relief in each other's arms, but the wounds of love takes time to heal.

_Sayaka… _Aya felt the warm tears fill her eyes when she thought of the girl. _I will never forget your sacrifice… I will raise your child in the world that you have saved for us… _She touched her belly, where Yuuhi and Sayaka's child had once slumbered in at for nine months.

* * *

_"Aya…" Sayaka lifted up her hand and took Aya's as she was cradled in Yuuhi's arms. "Please… love Yuuhi in my place…"_

_"Sayaka! Please don't talk like this…!" Aya exclaimed._

_She smiled, and placed a hand on her belly. Slowly, a glow emerged and as she lifted her hand, a sparkling violet sphere lifted up from inside her, out in midair. "And will you take care… of our son, Naoki… for me…?"_

_Aya nodded silently, biting back her sobs. Then the glowing sphere floated closer into her and surged inside of her. As the glow faded, Aya could feel the life now merged in her, growing inside of her._

* * *

Aya closed her eyes as she could still hear the echoes of Yuuhi's voice howling in anguish that night. A roar that tore her heart into pieces. Just as she thought she could be strong for Yuuhi, Tooya left her, taking with him all her life, spirit and strength. She took Yuuhi's hand and held it in hers.

_Yuuhi… what we've been through was probably worse than hell... but I promise, from this day on, I will be strong too… for all of us…_

_You won't ever be alone again... ever..._

"Chichi-oya…?" a little voice called out, interrupting both their daydreams, as Yuuhi felt something tug on the lower end of his trousers.

Yuuhi looked down, and was gazing into a pair of azure eyes. Sayaka's eyes. Only those eyes could bring the full-hearted smile back into his face, and pull him out of the pitch black darkness. And so Yuuhi smiled, and ruffled his son's hair affectionately.

"Naoki-chaaaan!" The three-year old Aki ran towards the boy. "Kochira kochira!!!" she exclaimed cheerfully as she tugged Naoki's little hand and pulled him along with her.

"Aki-chan! Be careful!" Aya exclaimed after them.

"Nee-chan! Nee-chan!" Naoki squealed in glee as he threw his arms around the girl. As he was running off, suddenly he stopped and turned around towards his father.

"Doushite, Naoki-chan?" Yuuhi asked.

"Chichi-oya… the lady told me to tell you… don't be sad…!" Naoki chirped cheerfully.

Yuuhi was puzzled. "The lady?"

Naoki nodded vigorously as he giggled. "Hai hai! The nice beautiful lady… with the black hair!!!" he exclaimed again that struck Yuuhi and Aya into shock. "She said… she will always be with you…! Nee, nee… chichi-oya! I like her! She's nice!" the little boy continued giggling, then innocently turned around and ran after his elder sister, Aki.

_I'm right here, Yuuhi… _He could almost hear the wind whispering. Startled, he turned to look around him.

  
Nothing.

But as the soft twilight breeze caress him gently, he knew she was there, and he smiled to himself silently.

"It's late." Aya said suddenly, after a moment of silence. "I'll go get the children…" she smiled as she released Yuuhi's hand and ran off towards where the children had gone off to, leaving Yuuhi alone in the silence of the sunset.

Yuuhi then started his steps after Aya. But then, he felt the urge to turn around as he felt a very strong presence. Turning around, he was stunned as he saw a silhouette figure sitting on the railings. He blinked once, twice, and as the sun shifted down, the spectrum rays made the figure seem more visible. And he could see the smile he had longed to see again, for so long.

Sayaka smiled, and she waved to him. 

_I'll always be right here…_

Then next to her, a tall figure appeared into visibility. His red hair blended perfectly among the crimson hued sunrays as he smiled calmly at Yuuhi. And as the sunrays shifted more, another figure appeared next to them, then turned to look at Yuuhi.

_Thank you… for loving her so much. _Akira's voice whispered among the breeze.

"Yuuhi!"

Yuuhi turned around and saw Suzumi walking towards him. "Aah… Onee-sama…"

She smiled softly and took his hand. "You look like you were deep in thought… what were you thinking about, Yuuhi?" she asked.

Yuuhi paused for a moment. Then he turned back towards where he had seen the three, but what's there now was no more than an empty railings, and the sun had went under the horizon. Yuuhi smiled and chuckled softly. "Hmmm…" he mumbled softly as he turned back to Suzumi with the smile still on his face. "It's nothing…"

Suzumi smiled. She was glad to see him smile. It was the first sincere smile she had seen from him in two years, and she knew that starting that day, he would be okay. That he will return to the Yuuhi she used to know.

"Shall we go, Onee-sama?"

She nodded, and they walked off away. Yuuhi glanced back towards the horizon for a moment, then he turned around and walked towards where Aya and the two children were waiting for them.

Yuuhi took Naoki in his arms and lifted the boy up on his shoulders. The little boy giggled in glee along with Yuuhi's laugh as they watched Aki jump around in protest around Yuuhi's feet, demanding her turn for a piggyback ride from her father.

_Hmm…_

_Maybe… just maybe… tomorrow will start to be a brighter day…_

====================================================================================

END


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